The Economic Fighters League (EFL) has called on successive governments to replace Ghana’s procurement-driven economic model with an investment-led approach to create jobs and address the country’s growing youth unemployment crisis.
In a statement issued on Friday, July 24, and signed by its Head of Strategic Research, Dr Fred Otu-Larbi, the group argued that Ghana’s youthful population should be viewed as a national asset rather than a burden.
The EFL cited Ghana Statistical Service data showing youth unemployment stood at 32 per cent among people aged 15 to 24 in 2024 and 22.5 per cent among those aged 15 to 35.
According to the group, Ghana faces shortages of teachers, healthcare workers, affordable housing and sanitation services despite having thousands of unemployed graduates and skilled young people.
It called for greater public investment in sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, housing and sanitation to absorb unemployed professionals while addressing national development needs.
The group criticised what it described as a procurement-driven political economy, arguing that governments have prioritised contract-heavy projects over labour-intensive investments that create jobs.
Instead, it proposed increased investment in affordable housing, irrigation, food processing and the recruitment of teachers and nurses as a sustainable strategy for employment creation and economic growth.
The EFL concluded that Ghana’s unemployment challenge is rooted in structural governance weaknesses and urged policymakers to prioritise long-term investment in people over procurement-led spending to achieve inclusive development.
