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President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that the establishment of industrial hubs in northern Ghana will help tackle the long-standing trend of young people migrating to the southern parts of the country in search of jobs.
According to the President, expanding industrial activity and creating sustainable employment opportunities in the north are essential to achieving more balanced economic and population development.
President Mahama made the remarks on Friday, August 28, at the opening of the Northshore Apparel Hub at Savelugu in the Northern Region.
He said limited employment opportunities in the north have historically compelled young people, particularly school leavers, to move south in search of work.
The President believes the Northshore Apparel Hub, alongside other industries planned for the region, could provide sustainable jobs and encourage young people to remain in their communities.
“We believe that at full strength this hub which we have named the North Shore Industrial Hub will be able to provide employment to at least 30,000 young people.
“This is important because it will reduce the north-south migration. When we did the African Peer-Review Mechanism and Ghana was peer-reviewed, one of the things for which we were indicted was the lack of opportunities in the northern parts that was leading to an imbalance of our population.
“So when students leave school and they have no opportunity, they just pick their bags, board a vehicle and go to the south. It puts pressure on social services in the south,” he said.
Focus on youth employment
President Mahama said the expansion of industrial activity in northern Ghana forms part of his administration’s wider strategy to promote inclusive industrialisation and distribute economic opportunities more evenly across the country.
He noted that the Northshore facility already has a significant youth workforce, with women making up about 80 per cent of its employees.
According to him, many of these young women could otherwise have been forced to travel to the south in search of menial employment.
President Mahama said the creation of more industries such as Northshore would provide young people with access to decent jobs closer to home while strengthening local economies.
He maintained that sustained investment in industrial development across northern Ghana would be critical to reducing migration pressures on the south and ensuring that young people can build productive livelihoods within their own communities.