Jobcamp Ghana in the Workers' month of May
I have always believed that we need to talk about wealth creation instead of poverty alleviation, in Ghana, Africa and globally. Job creation is very important for wealth creation. It was really great when Bernard Avle recommend the GhanaThink Foundation to STAR-Ghana to work on an employment related project. The results of our discussions were Jobcamps - free networking forums bringing people together to discuss jobs and (un)employment Ghana. These were organized by the GhanaThink Foundation and funded by STAR-Ghana. These were organized in May 2018, workers’ month - from 9am to 2pm.
I led the organization of Jobcamp Ghana, working with various local teams within the GhanaThink Foundation. It was fun doing this 'roadshow' and exploring public transport on a more personal level. The Jobcamps made me realise that we have too many small and medium scale entreprises in Ghana and not enough bigger companies that could employ hundreds of people. It was also clear that while many Ghanaians (especially youth) suffer the troubles of unemployment, there are not as many competent people actively looking for employment. Entrepreneurship has become a solution to the unemployment crisis, while various youth consider several things as their jobs or livelihoods. You can learn most of these from the Jobcamp hashtag.
The Jobcamps featured resource personnel from the public sector, private sector, CSOs, academia and youth representatives. For some of the Jobcamps, there were official representatives, especially for the public sector. Some of the resource personnel included Kwame Annor (Chief HR Officer of AirtelTigo Ghana), Florence Toffa (Mobile Web Ghana Director), Agya Yaw Nsiah (Research Lead for Youth Employment Agency), Miracule Gavor (Consultant on Mathematics & USAID Contractor), Mary Wilson (Lecturer at Koforidua Technical University Faculty of Health & Allied Sciences), Fafalu Klu (Entrepreneur & CEO of Fali’s Fruit Bay), Albert Yaw Opoku (Director at Hapaweb Solutions & Hapaspace), David MacGranaham (Pastor at Favor Chapel International & CEO of MacHills Hospital), Rose Meda Donkor (African Assistance Plan), Sam Biako (CEO of Gladsome Foods), Amos Kaboh Bah (Engineering at University of Energy and Natural Resources), Rukaya Sukah (Fashion student and staff at Fablane Events), Stephen Mwinkaara (CEO of Nuoyong Empire Hotel & Nuoyong Foods), Mumuni Sulemana (Regional director of National Youth Authority), Mawuse Siabi (CEO of M&M Express), Senyo Kpelly (CEO of TAMA Cosmetics), Cecilia Sefa (Teacher at Tamale Senior High School - Tamasco), Kofi Larbi (National Disaster Management Organization), Roger Laari (CEO of MOAB Holdings), Baba Yabdow (CEO of Yabco Foods), Akannah Saeed Nsoh Jr (Architecture Lecturer at Bolga Polytechnic), Ekow Simpson (Teacher and blogger), Nana Imbeah (Retired Educationist, STMA Education), Joseph Appiah (Regional Director, National Youth Authority), etc
Participants got the opportunity to learn more about what employers in the public and private sectors look out for and require. This was very revealing. The academic reps had to address many concerns about Ghana’s educational system and its flaws, stating that their curricula are reviewed regularly and how universities are more primed to imparting knowledge and theory. It was agreed in many instances that it is not job of the government to create jobs and that since times have changed, the onus lies on the individual employment seeker. There were lots of discussions about employment pertaining to the cities, regions and Ghana. Trending topics like the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO), Tramadol abuse, etc were all discussed at the Jobcamps. Though there were no advertisements of job opportunities, through networking, some participants were able to place themselves for employment. Participants learnt a lot about employable skills, and received great advice. Many resource personnel and participants alike shared insight into jobs, employment types and tips and industries.
Check out the Ghana Youth Employment Inventory Report (via the World Bank) which was discussed at the various Jobcamps. This report was worked on by myself and Francis Avura while consulting for the World Bank. The full report link was also shared with participants after the events. Mabel Viviey and Safia Musah of STAR-Ghana were at the Jobcamp editions in Accra, Tamale and Bolgatanga, sharing about STAR-Ghana's work and motivation for the Jobcamps.
CITI FM (Omni Media) was the media partner and they did some new pieces of the Jobcamps: Accra, Koforidua, HoCity, Kumasi, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, and Takoradi. Selorm Ahorlu who is part of the Barcamp Sunyani team also brought together this piece on the Sunyani edition. Mark Smith of GBCGhana did a piece as well, posted on the GBC website. Kojo Dei of ATL FM who emceed the Oguaa edition also did a news report and had it published on ATLFMOnline. Photo albums for each Jobcamp can also be found via Accra, Koforidua, HoCity, Kumasi, Sunyani, Wa, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast and Takoradi.
More of what happened, pictures, reactions, comments are via the #Jobcamp Accra, #Jobcamp Koforidua, #Jobcamp #Hocity, #Jobcamp #Kumasi, #Jobcamp #Sunyani, #Jobcamp #WaWeDey, #Jobcamp #Tamale, #Jobcamp #Bolgatanga, #Jobcamp #CapeCoast, #Jobcamp #Takoradi hashtags.
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