FINANCING THE SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND SET-UP OF 270 UNEMPLOYED YOUTH FROM THE RESETTLEMENT

COMMUNITY IN THE BIRIM NORTH DISTRICT OF GHANA

DECEMBER 2015

Samuel Owusu-Sekyere

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IS A SECURITY THREAT TRANSCENDING BEYOND LOCAL AND NATIONAL BORDERS.

BEYOND SECURITY, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IS LINKED TO:

POVERTY

FOOD INSECURITY AND HUNGER

UNSUSTAINABLE USE OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT (WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE)

ETC.

Facilitating sustainable employment for the youth is fundamental to economic growth,

infrastructural development and a happy population.

THE GHANA’S NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK RECOGNIZES SKILL DEVELOPMENT AS A WORKABLE STRATEGY FOR

CREATING EMPLOYMENT AMONG THE UNEMPLOYMENT YOUTH

Page 127 of the GSGDA II….The state shall “ensure provision of adequate training and skills development in line with global trends by providing employable skills training for out-of-school youth and graduates”

WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD?

TYPE OF SKILL TO BE DEVELOPED…..Technical and Vocational SkillsCarpentryMasonryWelding and FabricationElectrical and ElectronicsDriving (both commercial cab and industrial

vehicles) Palm oil processingBatik Tie and Dye

BEYOND THE SKILL DEVELOPMENT?• PROVIDE START-UP TOOLS OR CAPITAL

TARGET POPULATION: 270 YOUTH FROM THE RESETTLEMENT COMMUNITY IN THE BIRIM NORTH DISTRICT OF GHANA

BACKGROUND

•THE OPERATIONS OF A LICENSED MINING COMPANY IMPACTED THE LIVELIHOODS OF EIGHT VILLAGES •THE YOUTH WERE EMPLOYED BY THE MINE BUT LOST EMPLOYMENT AS THE MINE PROGRESSED FROM CONSTRUCTION TO PRODUCTION•THOUGH THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT QUOTA (LEQ) WITH THE COMPANY IS STILL IN FORCE, OPPORTUNITIES ARE LIMITED. •THIS CAUSED HIGH RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG THE YOUTH. •BEYOND THE MINE, EMPLOYMENT FOR THE UNSKILLED ARE VIRTUALLY NONEXISTENCE. •PROVIDING SKILL TRAINING AND START-UP TOOLS/CAPITAL CAN FACILITATE SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT

CURRENT STATE OF THE YOUTH Lost their livelihood due to the mine activities Compensation could not replace or restore pre-resettlement income earning ventures Access to shared resources which constitute secondary income especially foe the

women is also lost Breakdown of family and community social networks worsens the plight of the aged

whose children are unemployed and also dependent The unemployment resulted in high income poverty and food insecurity among the

youth Teenaged pregnancy has also increased among children of school going age Issues of theft and other minor social vices has also increased There is general despondency and hopelessness

SO WHAT IS THE MISSING LINK?

BUT IT IS GOVERNMENT’S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD AND SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT FOR ITS CITIZENS! (ARTICLE 36 (1) OF THE 1992 CONSTITUTION OF GHANA)

YES! ….but the constitution also recognizes the deficiency of the government in financing its development program and projects.

The state shall afford “ample opportunity for individual initiative and creativity in economic activities and fostering an enabling environment for a pronounced role of the private sector in the economy [article 36 (2) (b)] while “ensuring that individuals and the private sector bear their fair share of social and national responsibilities including responsibilities to contribute to the overall development of the country [article 36 (2) (c)].

WHO THEN SHOULD COMPLEMENT GOVERNMENTS EFFORTS

The Mining Company (Multinational Corporation)

The District Assembly

The Local Development Foundation

THE MINING COMPANY

The mining company require social license to operate

The current unemployed state of the youth is a threat to the safety and security of the mine’s employee and operations

Sustainable mining ensures the wellbeing of the indigenous people

It is the corporate social responsibility for the company

WHAT ABOUT THE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY?• Development of employable skills is part of the

district’s mandate and aligns with its GSGDA II

• The DA is expected to stimulate local economic development (LED) by creating the enabling environment for growth and development.

• The da is directly responsible wellbeing of the local people including the youth in the resettlement community

• Required to implementation of GOG policies and programs on employment creation and other livelihood interventions at the local level

THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION The proposed Skill set aligns with

foundations thematic area on human resource development

The Foundation is already supporting ten (10) youth in driving and masonry

The Resettlement community is one of the intervention communities

Financing Skill Development for Youth employment should be a complementary effort between stakeholders….Gov’t, Individuals, Private Organizations, Community members, etc.