UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UNEMPLOYMENT AS A PROBLEM FACING THE YOUTH IN

AFRICA: A CASE OF KWAPRO COMMUNITY.

A REPORT WRITTEN BY GROUP 3

MAY 2022
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Africa’s population is very young with more than half aged below 25 years. It is estimated that

each year, between 2015 and 2035, there will be half a million more 15-year-olds than the year

before (World Bank, 2014). This is against the backdrop of the fact that the population in the rest

of the world will soon be aging. Estimates by Population Reference Bureau (2013) put Africa’s

youth population aged between 10 and 24 years at 344.4 million in 2013, representing 31% of

total population making the continent the youngest region in the world.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Around 10.6 percent of the African youth were unemployed in 2021, according to the source's

projections. The youth unemployment rate in Africa has been slowly falling since 2012. That

year, nearly 12 percent of the young labor force were unemployed. Youth unemployment is a

chronic problem too, which dates back two decades under democratic government. Between

1995 and 1999, unemployment for high school graduates entering the job market jumped by 10

percentage points, from 28% to 38.4%, and the youth unemployment rate was actually a shade

higher in 2005 (48.4%) than it was amid the global financial crisis in 2009 (48.2%).

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives of the study are:

 1. To determine if there are unemployment on the part of the youth in Kwapro community.

2. To know or determine if the government is doing his part on the problem of

unemployment.

3. To identify how we can deal with unemployment in Kwapro Community on the part of

the youth.

CHAPTER TWO

METHODOLOGY

2.1 Introduction

Research methodology is a set of tools, techniques and procedures used during research.

According to Howell (2013), a methodology is the strategy that shows the form of a research and

the methods that will be used in order to arrive at the results.

2.2 Research Design

Research design is the complete plan used to obtain answers to the questions being investigated

and for managing some of the challenges encountered during a research process. A quantitative

method was adopted for this study under a descriptive research design.

2.3 Study Population

A population, according to Neuman (2006), is a huge collection of many examples from which a

researcher selects a sample and generalizes the results. Alvi (2016) defined population as all

members of a specific group that meet certain research study conditions. This indicates that

population refers to people and the characteristics they have, such as where they live, where they
live, and where they live. It could also include a person's age, ethnicity, housing type, birthplace,

or location.

The target population for this research study was the Cape Coast Municipality.

2.4 Sample Size

According to Neuman (2006), a sample size is a smaller set of cases a researcher selects from a

larger pool and generalizes to the population. In this study, the researcher selected the sample

size with reference to the sampling ratios proposed by Alreck and Settle (cited in Ankrah, 2014,

p. 121).

The Sample Size for our research was the Kwapro Community in the Cape Coast Municipality.

2.5 Instrumentation

Various sorts of data collection instruments are used in research for various objectives, based on

what the researcher wants to do and how they plan to accomplish it. A researcher's choice of data

gathering technology is usually dictated by the research aims and objectives, according to

Bradley et al (2009). For the purpose of this study, questionnaire was used as data collection

instruments.

2.6 Method of Data Analysis

Data are unprocessed facts that have little meaning for most people. The information was created

by processing the collected data to make it meaningful and usable. Data analysis is “conducted to

reduce, organize and give meaning to the data” (Burns and Grove, 1999).

Data that are collected can be analyzed in different ways, but for the purpose of this study, we

analyzed the data collected using Microsoft Excel 2016.

 CHAPTER THREE

DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

3.1 Response Rate

A total of 100 copies of questionnaire were distributed to the people of Kwapro Community. All

100 questionnaire was returned indicating 100% response rate.

3.2 Gender of Respondents

GENDER FREQUENCY
Female 41
Male 59
TOTAL 100

CHART SHOWING GENDER

59

60
41
50
FREQUENCY

40 FREQUENCY

30
20
10
0
Female Male
GENDER

From our study, out of the 100 respondents, 41 were Females and 59 were Males.
 3.3 Age of Respondents

AGE FREQUENCY
18-24 52
25-32 18
33-39 23
40 7
TOTAL 100

CHART SHOWING AGES

52
FREQUENCY

FREQUENCY
23
18

18-24 25-32 33-39 40

AGES

Findings from Kwapro survey revealed that out of 100 respondents, 52 were between the ages of

18-24, 23 were between the ages of 33-39, 18 were between the ages of 25-32, and 7 were

between the ages of 40 and above. An indication that majority of respondents are youth.

3.4 Educational Level of the Respondents

EDUCATIONAL FREQUENCY
LEVEL
Illiterate 14
 JHS 17
SHS 23
Tertiary 46
TOTAL 100

CHART SHOWING THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF

PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
50
45 46
40
35
30
Frequeny

25
23
20
17
15 14
10
5
0
I l l i te ra t e J HS S HS T e rti a ry
Educational Level

Findings from Kwapro survey revealed that out of 100 respondents, 46 were either in Tertiary or

a graduate, 23 has completed SHS, 17 has completed JHS and 14 were Illiterate. Its indicate that

majority of respondents have been educated but yet they are unemployed.

3.5 Employment Status of the Respondent

UNEMPLOYMENT FREQUENCY
STATUS
Yes 53

No 47

TOTAL 100
 CHARTS ON UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS

53
52
FREQUENCY

51
50 FREQUENCY
49
48
47
46
45
44
Yes No
UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS

Findings from Kwapro survey revealed that out of 100 respondents, 53 people were

unemployed and 47 were employed.

3.6 Causes of Unemployment

CAUSE OF FREQUENCY
UNEMPLOYMENT

Lack of skill 35
Unavailability of jobs 30
Lack of experience 14
Laziness 21
TOTAL 100
This chart clearly depicts that, 35 people are unemployed because of lack of skills, 30 said is

unavailability of jobs, 14 people think is Lack of experience that causes unemployment. Lastly,

21 people are unemployed because of laziness.

3.7 Mode of Survival

MODE OF SURVIVAL FREQUENCY

Remittance 35
Self-employment 35
Begging 12
Stealing 18
TOTAL 100
 CHART SHOWING THE MODE OF SURVIVAL

18 Remittance
Self-employment
35 Begging
12 Stealing

35

From our findings, majority of the people in Kwapro survival through the means of Remittance

and Self-employment, 18 people also survive through stealing and 12 people beg in order to

survive.

3.8 Level of Unemployment

UNEMPLOYMENT FREQUENCY
LEVEL

Low 19
Moderate 20
High 61
TOTAL 100
 CHART ON LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT

61
Frequency

FREQUENCY

19 20

Low Moderate High

Level

After the survey, we found out that, 61 people out of 100 said the level of unemployment is high,
20 said is moderate and 19 said is low. This clearly show us that, the level of unemployment is
high.

3.9 Challenges faced due to Unemployment

CHALLENGES FACED FREQUENCY

Poor standard of living 37
Stigmatization 26
Poor Health 37
TOTAL 100

CHART ON CHALLENGES FACED DUE TO

UNEMPLOYMENT

Poor Health Poor standard of living

37% 37%

Stigmatization
26%

Poor standard of living Stigmatization Poor Health

37% of people were facing poor standard of living and poor health and 26% of them were facing
stigmatization.

HYPOTHESIS TESTING

Since H0 is always true under hypothesis testing, The sample data is used to determine whether
H1 is more likely to be false or true.

Based on our sample data, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the sample data
provide sufficient statistical evidence to support the alternative hypothesis

CHAPTER FOUR

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the discussion of major findings of the study. The findings of the study
were discussed under the following headings based on the objectives of the study:

1. Existence of unemployment in Kwapro.

2. Government intervention.
3. Solution to unemployment.

4.2 Existence of unemployment in Kwapro.

The first research objective was to determine if there are unemployment on the part of the youth
in Kwapro community. The findings from the study shows that, 61 people out of 100 said the
level of unemployment is high, 20 said is moderate and 19 said is low.

Also, findings from Kwapro survey revealed that out of 100 respondents, 53 people were
unemployed and 47 were employed.

This clearly shows that, the youth in Kwapro are suffering from Unemployment.

4.3 Government Intervention

The second research objective was to determine if the government is doing his part on the
problem of unemployment. In our survey, we ask the respondents that, has the government
provided any employment opportunities for them. After the survey we find out that, about two-
third of the people who took part in filling the questionnaires said “NO” to the question. This
clearly shows that, the government is not doing his part on youth unemployment in Kwapro.

Also, some indicated that the government has provided some chip compounds, schools and
clinics which provides employment for the youth in Kwapro.

4.4 Solution to Unemployment

The last research objective was to identify how we can deal with unemployment in Kwapro. We
wanted to know the mind of our respondents on how to solve unemployment in Kwapro and
some expectations from the Government to reduce unemployment rate. At the end of the survey,
we noticed that, the people in Kwapro expect more jobs from the government in other to solve
unemployment.

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

Unemployment is a serious issue for Kwaprow community. It creates negative effects to

unemployed people as they are jobless and suffer from worse prospects to find new job. Those
who are employed feel less secure to keep their jobs in future. However, for overall development
of economy, government and individuals has to take initial steps in increasing the productivity
and improving the standard of living.

The people of Kwaprow are suffering from unemployment and there is an increase in crime rate.
People are suffering from how to survive since there are no job opportunities for them.

Recommendation

Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations could be considered towards
unemployment on the part of the youth in Kwapro community.

The people of the Kwapro community expects something great from the government in order to
solve or reduce unemployment. We recommend that government should provide job
opportunities, reduce its expenditure and decrease interest rate.

Also, there must be an adequate training to psych the mind of the people towards
entrepreneurship. If the government is not providing jobs, then there must be a training on how
the youth can manage their own business with the little capital they have.

Furthermore, we recommend that, there must be a change in our education system. This is
because, everyone needs skills for him or her to be employed but what we are learning in school
are all theory-based curriculum and there are no practical sessions. So, after school there will be
skill acquire to go the working field. We wish that, the education system will be of less theory
and more practicals just for us to acquire skills.

Lastly, the youth shouldn’t be lazy in either finding a job or doing any kind of Job. If you’re not
a hardworking person, how can you work? So, we need to carry our CV’s and certificate arounds
just to look for jobs if there are any. Also, we should not look down on any job given to us. So
far as it can put food on your table, don’t be lazy to get that.
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Alvi, M. (2016). A manual for selecting sampling techniques in research

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Bradley, M. A., & Harell, M. C. (2009). Data collection Methods: Semi structured interviews
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