"Employment is growing, but unemployment remains largely unchanged" – Gov't Statistician

The Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, has observed that although employment levels in Ghana are increasing, the unemployment rate has remained largely unchanged, particularly among young people.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Thinknewsonline.com on Thursday, Dr Iddrisu revealed that youth unemployment among persons aged 15 to 24 stood at a high 34.4 per cent in the third quarter of 2025.

He noted that about 1.34 million young people in this age group were not in employment, education or training (NEET), underscoring persistent challenges in youth labour outcomes.

Dr Iddrisu explained that Ghana’s overall unemployment rate declined marginally from 13.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 12.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2025.

He also not that it further eased to 12.6 per cent in the second quarter, before rising again to 13.0 per cent in the third quarter of 2025.

According to him, more than 15 million people participated in the labour force in the third quarter of 2025, with about 87 per cent employed.

Employment increased by over 330,000 persons between the first and third quarters of 2025, with female employment consistently exceeding that of males.

He noted that the services sector remained the largest employer, followed by agriculture and industry, while urban areas continued to record higher employment levels than rural areas.

However, he stressed that job quality remains a major concern, as more than two-thirds of employed persons are in vulnerable employment, dominated by women, rural workers and those engaged in agriculture.

Dr Iddrisu added that own-account work continues to dominate Ghana’s labour market, reflecting limited access to secure wage employment and the persistence of informality.

“The key message is that jobs are increasing, but the unemployment rate is not falling in a sustained way"

"Job creation is still not fast enough to absorb new entrants into the labour market, especially young people and urban job seekers,” he said.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith