Unemployment among the youth emerged as one of the economic challenges that needs to be addressed, accounting for about a quarter of the population over the past 50 years, an analytical report on the 2010 Population and Housing Census (PHC) has revealed.
The proportion of the population aged 15 years and over that is economically not active decreased from 27.0 per cent in 1960 to 17.5 per cent in 1984, increased to 25.3 per cent in 2000 and again to 28.9 per cent in 2010.
The report went on further to state that among males, the proportion increased from 11.0 per cent in 1960 to 27.2 per cent in 2010 and for females the proportion decreased from 43.3 per cent in 1960 to 18.4 per cent in 1984 and then increasing to 30.4 per cent in 2010.
It however explained that the pattern in the female economically not active population could reflect socio-economic and cultural changes over time, including for example, declining emphasis on the homemaker role and increased opportunities for further study.
According to data collected in 2010, about 59 per cent of unemployed persons were seeking for work for the first time and 41.0 per cent had worked before and were no longer in employment.
The breakdown was that more than 60.0 per cent of unemployed males and 55.0 per cent of the unemployed females were first time job seekers.
The report said the pattern was reflected in all regions, for males and females, though with varying proportions: ranging from 56.1 per cent in the Greater Accra Region to 47.4 per cent and 47.4 per cent in the Upper West and Northern Regions respectively
“Unemployment was found to be high among those aged 15-29 years, most of who were seeking for jobs for the first time. That age at which unemployment is highest coincides with the transition from various levels of education to the world of work,” it said.
The report was put together by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the national data compilation body of the country after the 2010 PHC.
ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION
One of the factors which emerged is the increase in the absolute numbers in the economically active population.
This increased from 5.6 million in 1984 to 10.9 million in 2010. The increase in the economically active population was due to the increase in the overall population which was basically from natural increase
The economically active population was concentrated in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern regions, the three regions with the highest populations in the country. Furthermore, the proportion of the economically active population in rural areas was more than those in urban areas in 2010, although the proportion of the population in urban areas was more than those in rural areas.
According to the report, the regional distribution of the economically active population is about the same as that of the total population for all the years specified and for all the regions. For instance, in 2000 and 2010, Ashanti Region accounted for 19.4 per cent and 19.1 per cent respectively of the economically active population followed by Greater Accra with 16.6 per cent and 18.1 per cent respectively.
OCCUPATION OF EMPLOYED POPULATION
The census report indicated that about 40 per cent of workers were engaged as skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, followed by service and sales workers with 21 per cent and craft and related trade workers accounting for 15.2 per cent of the population.
It however explained that the two leading occupational categories did not require highly skilled expertise and therefore high educational training. The proportions of the occupations which required high skills and years of training such as professionals, managers and technicians accounted for 9.5 per cent of the employed persons.
SELF- EMPLOYMENT
The proportion of the employed population aged 15 years and over which was self-employed declined from 80.6 per cent in 2000 to 65.9 per cent in 2010, the report indicated.
The proportion of females which were self-employed females was 86.8 per cent in 2000 and 69.4 per cent in 2010 and that of males were 74.5 per cent in 2000 and 60.2 per cent in 2010.
“In 2010, 75.3 percent of the employed population in the Volta Region was self-employed, the highest in the country. This was followed by Eastern Region with 72.4 percent. The two regions which reported the lowest percentages of self-employed populations were Greater Accra region (55.7%) and Upper West (55.5%)”, the report said.
Among males, Greater Accra Region had the lowest proportion of self-employed persons (44.4%) and for females it was Upper West region (55.5%). Volta Region had the highest proportion of self-employed for males and females: over seven in every ten for males and nearly eight in every ten for females.
WAY FORWARD
The report thus recommended that the area of youth unemployment would need to be managed with pragmatic policies such as apprenticeship and start-up capital so as to reduce the proportion of unemployed youth. GB
QUICK READ
- The economically not active population increased from 2.8 million in 2000 to 4.3 million in 2010.
- Unemployment was found to be high among those aged 15-29 years, most of who were first time job seekers.
- That age at which unemployment is highest coincides with the transition from various levels of education to the world of work.
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