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The president of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies says Ghana can significantly reduce youth unemployment if the government makes credit more accessible to businesses and allows flexible repayment terms.
Dr Ishmael Norman, speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, argued that job creation cannot be left solely to government, insisting that the private sector must be empowered to expand and absorb the growing youth population seeking work.
“And I think if the executives put their heads together and Ghanaians put their heads together, we should be able to find ways to find jobs for the youth.”
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According to the security expert, one practical solution is for the government to provide affordable loans to business leaders and industrialists to expand their operations.
“One of them is for the government to make loans really reasonable to businesses, captains of industry, so they can expand their businesses.”
Dr Norman proposed that such loans should include long-term repayment terms and a grace period before repayment begins. He believes this would give businesses enough time to invest and grow before facing financial obligations.
“Long-term payment plan moratorium, you know, a moratorium for about the first year you give ¢1 or ¢2 million, with an 18-month moratorium before they start to pay back.”
He stressed that accessible financing for the private sector could unlock new employment opportunities and help address some of the economic pressures facing young people.
“And believe me, if government makes loans accessible to businesses, some of these issues can be solved because government alone cannot create all the jobs.”
Dr Norman said expecting the government to employ the majority of citizens is unrealistic and not supported by global experience.
“There is no country in the world where government is the major employer and is able to employ everybody. It’s not possible.”
He pointed to international examples to illustrate how strong private enterprise can transform national economies and create wealth on a large scale.
“Even in communist China, private enterprise is part of the reason why they were able to transform so many of their populations into millionaires.”
Dr Norman’s comments come amid growing national concern about youth unemployment and the need for sustainable job creation strategies.
He believes that empowering businesses with affordable credit and flexible repayment structures could stimulate expansion across key sectors of the economy.
Such growth, he suggested, would naturally translate into new employment opportunities for thousands of young people.
Dr Norman, therefore, urged policymakers and national leaders to work with industry players to design practical solutions that strengthen the private sector’s role in job creation.
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