Business magnate Alhaji Asuma Banda says he is worried about what he describes as a growing unemployment situation in the country.
The teeming youth lining the streets of, the capital city especially with a variety of items for sale he says should be a matter of concern for government and the citizenry at large.
A recent report by the World Bank shows that about 48 percent of the youth in the country between the ages of 15 and 24 do not have jobs.
Speaking with JOY NEWS Alhaji Asuma Banda he said he wants a national strategy mapped out to meet the challenge of youth unemployment.
“What do we do with our youth selling dog chains on the street? When I drive past the streets I sometimes see a healthy lady carrying groundnut for sale. The whole plate won’t amount to GH¢10, how do they live?” he quizzed.
He said having served in the ‘Council’ during Kwame Nkrumah’s day’s he believes the leaders must get to working for the people and not wait to be served.
Mr Banda charges the Members of Parliament to create avenues and opportunities to get the youth off the street into productive employment.
Sometime last week he also charged government to immediately halt the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system in making a case for the illiterate and unemployed.
He said until the concerns raised by some transport operators who are likely to be affected by the system are addressed the BRT must be put on hold.
“Transport is one of the most difficult industries especially road transport. If you buy a truck it takes you long to pay for it and introducing this BRT will kill the transport business. Most of the transport owners are illiterate to tell you the truth and I think that is one of the ways of someone building himself up in business,” he said.
He said such transport owners cannot work in the industry or any other industrial where a certificate is needed “so if they are doing transport and you are doing this then you are not helping those who haven’t had the opportunity to have formal education.”
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