“Ghanaian graduates are not fit for employment, they go to school just for certificates” – Deputy Speaker, Joe Wise

According to Ghana’s first deputy speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, unemployment exists because Ghanaian graduates are undereducated.

Miseducation, he explained on Kumasi-based Ultimate 106.9 FM, is the phenomenon of attending school for certificates without regard for employable skills, vocational and technical competence that could lead to entrepreneurship.

“We are miseducated,” he explained, “because once we graduate from secondary school, we believe that we are not supposed to work with our hands.” An engineer does not want to come into contact with contaminated oils. He always wants to be an overcoat and give people instructions instead of us creating with our minds.”

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The Bekwai Legislator, who also serves on the Petroleum Commission, expressed concern that companies drilling for oil in Ghana’s oil fields continue to submit applications for permission to import welders with a certain level of certification to work on the oil rakes.

“The CEO of the Petroleum Commission is concerned that every year, companies request permission to bring in welders from outside the country because our people lack the necessary qualifications.” “If they tell you how much they get paid per hour, it’s more than my monthly salary,” he grumbled.

Mr Osei Owusu urged Ghanaians to abandon the mentality that success comes from wearing coats and ties and getting to work.

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“All of the jobs and things we see around us are created by people who don’t wear coats and ties.” “Look around us; which of our tie and coat people has created anything?” he inquired.

The 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament urged Ghanaians to wake up to the realities painted by the finance minister, who stated that 60 per cent of the country’s revenues go to pay less than a million people out of 30 million Ghanaians.