Job creation is a priority for the next NDC government

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama has pledged to emphasize job creation if elected in December.

Speaking at a stakeholders' engagement in Fumbisi, Mr Mahama emphasized the need of tackling the country's high young unemployment rate.

While acknowledging the necessity of infrastructure development, the flagbearer stressed that his administration will prioritize projects that create jobs.

He addressed his proposed 24-hour economy strategy, which aims to encourage companies to work longer hours, thereby providing more jobs.

Mr. Mahama added that this policy will encourage companies to expand shifts, resulting in additional job possibilities.

He used the example of a pharmaceutical facility, where the government would buy locally made pharmaceuticals, allowing the company to add additional shifts and recruit more employees.

Mr Mahama believes that by implementing this program, more young people will acquire jobs, therefore alleviating the country's urgent youth unemployment crisis.

“Jobs jobs jobs, must be the priority for everybody and that is the priority for the next NDC government. Like I said we’ll do infrastructure but we are going to concentrate on the things that will create jobs for our young people. That’s why one of the policies we are introducing is the 24-hour economy. It’s a very simple thing.”

“There are businesses all over Ghana, there are new businesses that are going to come. We are asking that those businesses work longer than the usual eight-hour day, thus working from eight o’clock in the morning to five o’clock in the evening.”

“It’s happening in other places, they have the 24-hour economy programme where they give incentives to businesses to work for longer hours. If you work for longer hours, you cannot work with the same number of people for 16 hours or 24 hours.

“You have to add on additional labour so if you have a pharmaceutical factory and you’re producing drugs, first, the government will incentivise you by buying your drugs because we have a need.”

“NHIS buy drugs for the hospital so we should buy the drugs the Ghanaian factory is producing, that businessman can add on additional shifts to meet the demand and if you add on additional shifts, more of our young people will get work to do.”

Source: Lead News Online