The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has urged the government to make sustained investments in the health, education, and skills development of young people. This action is essential for Ghana to harness its demographic dividend and accelerate inclusive economic growth. The GSS highlighted that young people constitute more than one-third of the country's population, necessitating strategic investments to bridge the gap between education and employment.
These investments aim to create opportunities for decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The call came in a statement issued by the GSS to commemorate this year's World Population Day. The theme for the day was 'Investing in Ghana's Future through Healthy, Skilled and Empowered Young People.'
Ghana's population has grown steadily from 18.9 million in 2000 to 30.8 million in 2021. The GSS projects this figure to reach 33.7 million in 2025. Young people aged 15 to 35 now represent 36.9 percent of the projected population, up from 34.6 percent in 2000. This means more than one in every three Ghanaians falls within the youth category.
Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, the Government Statistician, emphasized that Ghana's youthful population presents a unique opportunity. This opportunity can drive economic transformation through investments in education, healthcare, technical training, and productive employment. However, he cautioned that labor market outcomes remain a major challenge for many young people.
Data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first three quarters of 2025 revealed a national unemployment rate averaging 12.8 percent. Unemployment among young people aged 15 to 35 stood at 21.9 percent, almost twice the national average. This disparity underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions.
The report also highlighted significant regional disparities in youth unemployment. Greater Accra recorded the highest youth unemployment rate at 31.9 percent. The Central Region followed with 27.4 percent, and the Ashanti Region at 27.2 percent. These figures indicate a concentrated problem in key economic hubs.
Beyond unemployment, nearly 2 million young people, representing about 19.5 percent of the youth population by the third quarter of 2025, were classified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). This category includes young people who are neither acquiring employable skills nor engaged in productive economic activities. The GSS expressed concern that this group represents a significant untapped potential.
The GSS further raised concerns over teenage pregnancy, citing findings from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. This survey showed that 15 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 had ever been pregnant, with 11 percent having already given birth. Early pregnancy often interrupts education, limits opportunities for skills acquisition, and reduces long-term participation in the labor market, especially for young women.
Addressing these challenges will require sustained investment in technical and vocational education. Stronger school-to-work transition programs are also necessary. Entrepreneurship development and the expansion of productive sectors capable of generating decent employment are crucial. When young people are equipped with relevant skills and provided opportunities, they become active contributors to national development. This shift transforms them from passive beneficiaries to economic drivers.