2 in 5 Ghanaian unemployed but not seeking employment

Ghana’s population is 30,832,019 in 2021, nearly 5 times that of 1960 (6,726,815). Age structure is transitioning from one dominated by children (0-14 years) to one dominated by young people (15-35 years).

According to the Ghana Statistical Service, the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC), GSS General Report Volumes 3E which focus on the Economic Activity presents statistics on the size and components of the labour force, the population outside the labour force, the employed population, the unemployed population, main occupation, main industry, employment sector, and employment status.

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The GSS General Report Volume 3E Presents the Following Findings

The labour force, which is the economically active population is 11,541,355 (employed – 9, 990,237; and unemployed – 1,551,188), representing 58.1% of persons 15 years and older.
The economic activities among males (63.5%) is substantially higher than their female (53.0%) counterparts, with a more pronounced variation in rural areas (males – 63.6%; and females – 51.5%).
About half a million (487,470) representing 2.5% of persons 15 years and older are first-time job seekers with an almost equal proportion of males (2.5%) and females (2.4%)
More than 2 in 5 (45.5%) unemployed persons 15 years and older are available for work but not seeking employment, of which the youth (15-35 years) constitute two-thirds (65.8%)
Involvement of children in economic activity in Oti Region (20.8%) is more than 6 times the national figure (3.2%) and is also prominent in 5 other regions: North East (11.4%).Savannah (9.9%) Upper West (9.3%), Northern (8.5%) and Upper East (6.1%).
Professionals constitute less than a tenth (8.4%, 837,989) of employed persons 15 years and older, of which 4 in 5 are in urban areas, and 3 in 5 are youth (15-35 years).
Among children aged 5-14 years engaged in economic activity, almost 80% are involved in agriculture-related activities with the highest proportion in Savannah (89.8%) and the least in Greater Accra (26.2%) regions.
In Greater Accra Region, Children’s involvement in economic activity is predominantly in service and sales (42.6%).
The public sector (government) engages about 10% of the employed population 15 years and older, of which almost 60% are males.
The unemployment rate among the population 15 years and older is 13.4% and is higher for females (15.5%) than males (11.6%).