A former Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, has backed calls for the scrapping of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO), describing the programme as offering “not real jobs”.
Speaking during a panel discussion monitored by this reporter, Dr Assibey Yeboah argued that NABCO’s temporary nature failed to address Ghana’s long-term employment challenges. He said the programme, which provided short-term placements for graduates, did not create sustainable livelihoods for the youth.
Dr Assibey Yeboah also questioned the government’s decision to abandon the One District, One Factory (1D1F) policy, insisting that industrialisation had created jobs and should be strengthened rather than discarded. He maintained that without deliberate job creation, rising youth unemployment could pose serious social and political risks.
Responding to questions on alternative solutions, the former MP urged government to refocus on agriculture and agro-processing. He called for renewed investment in large-scale farming, including elements of state-supported farms, to absorb unemployed youth and boost food production.
According to him, agriculture-led industrialisation remains the most viable pathway to sustainable job creation. He dismissed initiatives such as the 24-hour economy and currency stabilisation efforts as insufficient on their own to address unemployment, stressing that “jobs will not come from slogans but from production and industry”.
Dr Assibey Yeboah concluded that meaningful employment must be anchored in productive sectors that add value and create lasting economic opportunities.