Reorient informal sector workforce to address professionalism, productivity and skills - GUTA

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GUTA bemoans lack of jobs and opportunities lost to foreign nationals

The Ghana Union of Traders Association is advocating for the reorientation of the country's informal sector workforce to address issues of professionalism, productivity and skills acquisition.

According to the President of the Association, Dr Joseph Obeng, a number of wrong vices such as dishonesty, corruption and thievery are embedded among some Ghanaian workers which have impacted the informal sector negatively.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Accra, Dr. Joseph Obeng cautioned that these vices could drive away potential investors into Ghana due to the lack of faith and skill in some Ghanaian workers.

“Each week, I get disturbing calls from Ghanaian employers about how they are being duped by a chunk of employees from the ports to the markets. Many of these employers, who have eyed million-dollar projects are folding up and exploring markets elsewhere,” he bemoaned.

He added these issues must critically be addressed in order not to block job creation efforts for Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, the GUTA president also expressed concern over the millions of Ghanaian youth who are still unemployed despite many job opportunities in the country.

According to him, Ghana has vast job opportunities throughout the country hence the issue of youth unemployability is one that must rather be critically looked at and addressed.

He pointed out that although government has implemented a number of youth-focused job opportunities such as the One-District, One Factory initiative, and others, there still remain factories that are many still making losses.

Dr Obeng explained the losses are due to the lack of skilled and employable professionals who can manage and operate the machines and tools of these factories.

“We can’t resurrect the dark days or industrial revolution when many of our state-owned factories had to shut down because of lack of skilled labour. Government must take vocational training a lot more serious to prevent unemployment crises,” he indicated.