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Dr. John Kumah, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Ejisu Constituency has revealed that the government’s E-levy revenue for 2023 amounted to GH¢1.19 billion.
To address unemployment in the nation, the government used this amount to fund the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, the Ghana Enterprise Agency, and the YouStart Program.
At the Wealth and Jobs Expo Ghana media launch, Dr. John Kumah responded to the most recent Ghana Statistical Service data, which showed that more than a million young Ghanaians were unemployed.
“The Ghana Statistical Service on Wednesday announced that about 1.5 million Ghanaian youth are unemployed. Last year, E-levy generated GH¢1.19 billion and as part of dealing with the job situation… unemployment situation, government has committed funds through YouStart from this E-levy sources…to GEA and NEIP to address the unemployment situation in the country, and I am happy to announce that institutions like Wealth and Jobs Expo and all private groups that are willing to help create jobs in the private sector will also be supported to help create jobs and businesses in the private sector,” he said
Dr. John Kumah emphasized the need of having faith in entrepreneurship in order to lower the unemployment rate and went on to highlight the government’s initiatives to draw investments and promote job creation.
“In the medium term, government aims to intensify efforts to attract domestic investments and FDIs [Foreign Direct Investments] in strategic centres with emphasis on creating jobs anchored on government’s growth strategy. The strategy is projected to contribute to creation of approximately 500,000 jobs. We are not saying 1.5 million [unemployed youth], every one of them should create jobs. No. Even if we get it, we get 10% of them, it’s 150,000 who will become entrepreneurs. If they do an average of let’s say 100 jobs….150,000 x 100, you have almost solved the unemployment problem,” John Kumah stated.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
