Former Defence Minister and Bimbilla MP, Dominic Ntiwul, has expressed concern over rising youth unemployment, attributing part of the problem to the declining state of agriculture in Ghana.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, he said many young people are losing interest in farming due to poor returns and inadequate government support. Major agricultural indicators have dropped significantly, making farming unattractive and prompting many youths to focus solely on government jobs.
While acknowledging that increased recruitment into the security services could create some jobs, Ntiwul argued that it is insufficient to address the scale of unemployment. He cited figures suggesting that over 500,000 young people are seeking positions in the security services, warning that the country risks serious consequences if sustainable employment opportunities are not created.
He criticised the government for failing to make agriculture appealing, stressing that without effective policies and support, the sector will continue to struggle to attract young people.
“The economy isn’t expanding enough to create sufficient jobs for the youth, and the government is failing to make agriculture appealing. They limited recruitment to just 5,000 positions, which is alarming. We are essentially sitting on a ticking time bomb and need viable solutions,” he said.
Ntiwul added, “Many young people are losing interest in agriculture, and this is reflected in the decline of all major agricultural indicators. If policies from the previous Akufo-Addo administration that supported the importation of locally produced agricultural materials had been maintained, we wouldn’t face this issue. Farming has become unappealing due to financial losses, and even with low prices, buyers are hesitant. As a result, government jobs remain the only option, yet many youths remain unemployed.”
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