The report, based on data from 2022 and 2023, reveals that over 500,000 Ghanaians transitioned from employment to unemployment during this period.
The GSS report specifies that among the 530,000 individuals who shifted from employment to unemployment status between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, more than half, approximately 280,000, remained unemployed in the second quarter of 2023.
The trend persisted, with about 160,000 people transitioning from employed to unemployed status between the second and third quarters of 2023.
On average, 240,000 individuals were unemployed over the first three quarters of 2023. However, there was a glimmer of hope as the report also indicated that approximately 60,000 individuals who were unemployed in the second quarter of 2023 managed to secure employment in the third quarter.
In a separate category, the report highlighted that among the 540,000 individuals who moved from outside the labor force to unemployment status between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, a staggering 410,000 (about three in every four) remained unemployed in the second quarter of 2023. Additionally, around 130,000 persons moved from outside the labor force to unemployment status between the second and third quarters of 2023.
The AHIES Labour Force Bulletin is a crucial source of information, providing quarterly labor force statistics for the population aged 15 and older. The data is generated from the 2022 and 2023 AHIES surveys and offers insights into various aspects, including mobilities across labor force statuses, unemployment spells, yearly and quarterly changes in employment and unemployment rates, and other labor statistics.
This nationally representative high-frequency panel is designed to support policy and planning in alignment with Ghana's national development agendas for the labor force. The alarming trends in unemployment underscore the importance of targeted interventions and strategies to address the evolving challenges faced by the workforce in Ghana.