An Entrepreneur behind brands like Debbies, Debbitone and African Herbal, Moses Atobrah has advised the unemployed to take advantage of entrepreneurship opportunities and start their own businesses.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Wednesday, Mr Atobrah explained that the rate of unemployment in the country puts pressure on the informal sector.
"If no one is going to employ you, you must employ yourself...government has a role to play, the individual has a role to play and the financial system has a role to play.
"So if government is spending about GHC25 billion on public sector wages out of GHC113 billion and government employs just about 650,000 people, so obviously the informal sector has a big responsibility," he said.
His assertion follows the Finance Minister's statement asking students to explore paths in entrepreneurship as the public sector Is full and therefore could not possibly afford to absorb them.
In this regard, Mr Atobrah urged the government to consider including entrepreneurship training in the curricula of basic education as well as from the first year of senior high school so that students could graduate with entrepreneurship skills.
"Government can help by way of training. The educational system prepares us to get out there and hold CVs and look for jobs...if government wants to equip people to have this mindset of employing ourselves or creating employment for ourselves it should reflect in our academic structure so at the basic level, children should be made to know rather than learning about the tallest mountain in Africa," he stated.
Some members of the general public also shared their opinions on the same show. They said entrepreneurship is not meant for everyone and shared personal experiences of their frustrations with starting a business.
"In 2020 I decided to start my own business. I knew how to handle laptops, so I decided to start a business. I had a vision for the business I wanted to establish so I decided to register for an individual company at GRA but after registration I was left with the VAT invoice document but when I went there I was asked to pay 5,000 cedis before it could be done but unfortunately I could only make a down payment of 800. Till now, I don't have a VAT invoice. So I think the system should be looked at," a caller said.
"Some youth just need 100 cedis to start a business if some one does not give it out of benevolence, they will not get it," another said.
Tonyi Senaya, CEO of Horseman Shoes also said Ghana could lose many human resources the years to come if the country does not invest deliberately in skills training.
Latest Stories
-
Town council in Canada at standstill over refusal to take King’s oath
22 mins -
Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws
34 mins -
Providing quality seeds to farmers is first step towards achieving food security in Ghana
45 mins -
Kenya’s president cancels major deals with Adani Group
2 hours -
COP29: Africa urged to invest in youth to lead fight against climate change
2 hours -
How Kenya’s evangelical president has fallen out with churches
2 hours -
‘Restoring forests or ravaging Ghana’s green heritage?’ – Coalition questions Akufo-Addo’s COP 29 claims
2 hours -
Ensuring peaceful elections: A call for justice and fairness in Ghana
3 hours -
Give direct access to Global Health Fund – Civil Society calls allocations
4 hours -
Trudeau plays Santa with seasonal tax break
4 hours -
Prince Harry jokes in tattoo sketch for Invictus
4 hours -
Akufo-Addo commissions 200MW plant to boost economic growth
4 hours -
Smallholder farmers to make use of Ghana Commodity Exchange
5 hours -
I want to focus more on my education – Chidimma Adetshina quits pageantry
5 hours -
Priest replaced after Sabrina Carpenter shoots music video in his church
5 hours