Greater Accra Records Highest Youth Unemployment; Bono East Lowest – Ghana Statistical Service
Greater Accra Records Highest Youth Unemployment; Bono East Lowest – Ghana Statistical ServiceThe Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed significant regional, gender, and locality-based disparities in youth unemployment across the country, with Greater Accra recording the highest rate and Bono East the lowest.
The findings were contained in the Labour Force Statistics for the first three quarters of 2025, released in Accra on Thursday, December 18, by the Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu.
According to the report, youth unemployment remains a major concern nationwide, particularly in urban centres. Greater Accra, Ghana’s most urbanised and economically active region, recorded the highest levels of youth unemployment, while Bono East emerged as the region with the lowest rate.
The GSS noted that although employment figures appear strong on the surface, deep inequalities persist beneath national averages. Rural areas were found to have higher levels of underemployment and labour underutilisation, while women continued to face disadvantages in both job quality and unemployment outcomes.
Dr Iddrisu explained that these disparities highlight the need for targeted, region-specific interventions rather than one-size-fits-all national policies.
Youth unemployment and job quality concerns
Nationally, the unemployment rate showed marginal fluctuations in 2025, declining slightly from 13.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 12.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, easing further to 12.6 per cent in the second quarter, before rising again to 13.0 per cent in the third quarter.
Despite this relative stability, youth unemployment consistently exceeded the national average. The highest rate—32.4 per cent—was recorded among young people aged 15 to 24. Additionally, about 21.5 per cent of persons in this age group were classified as not in employment, education, or training (NEET), representing a significant loss of productive potential.
Urban unemployment remained higher than rural unemployment, and females continued to experience higher joblessness than males.
The report also highlighted concerns about job quality. More than two-thirds of employed persons were engaged in vulnerable employment, particularly women, rural workers, and those in the agricultural sector. Own-account work continued to dominate the labour market, pointing to persistent informality and limited access to secure wage employment.
Policy recommendations
Based on the findings, the GSS outlined four key policy priorities. These include urgent action on youth employment through apprenticeships, school-to-work transition programmes, digital and technical skills training, and reintegration of NEET populations.
The Service also called for improvements in job quality through formalisation, enterprise development, access to finance, and stronger labour protections, especially in agriculture and rural areas.
Other recommendations include aligning skills development with labour market demand through closer collaboration between government, training institutions, and employers, as well as supporting flexible and shift-based work arrangements under Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy agenda, with safeguards for worker safety and income security.
Dr Iddrisu stressed that while jobs are being created, the pace remains insufficient to absorb new labour market entrants, particularly young people and urban job seekers, underscoring the urgency of deliberate and targeted employment policies
