TECHNOLOGY TO SEE MILLIONS UNEMPLOYED, UNDEREMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYABLE; THE “USELESS” COHORT-80% OF GHANA’s LABOUR FORCE

Dear Ghana, ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Employment across the world comes in three faces; the upper, the middle and the lower class. Majority of the labour force in Ghana is captured under the “useless” class; for the want of a better word. This is why; ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ The future of this globe is presenting a world where the livelihood is mostly computerized or technological. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 1.3million people die every year due to road accidents with majority of the reasons being human error. The future presents Autonomous vehicles (self driving cars) which would reduce this 1.3 million deaths to nearly 0. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Do we know what this means; ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 1. Taxi drivers are going to loose their jobs ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 2. Trotro and bus drivers would go out of job ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 3. Even food vendors and street hawkers are all going to loose their jobs due to the fast advancement of technology and online marketing. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 4. Less human contacts will be the order of the day and even shop owners would also run into grave losses. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 5. The controversial “Okada” and “Pragyia” drivers would also loose their jobs. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 6. Cleaning would be done by robots hence cleaners would loose thier source of livelihood. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 7. Security guards and even our security forces would to a great extent be rendered adamant as the crime rate would be reduced drastically as a result of low human contacts. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ The list is endless and if this doesn’t alarm you, I don’t know what will... ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Sadly this wouldn’t be the fault of the individual but technology would simply make people “useless” ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Unless one can code and is very conversant with computer based systems, speak various languages etc you would only be rendered unemployed and unemployable! ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Rather unfortunately, our training/education system is modeled in such a way where the output is directed at being able to be memorable and competitive rather than being self-thought-provoking with ideas. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 90% of the labour force would be rendered unemployed and unemployable and this wouldn’t be their fault but it would be because of technology. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ The solution however, remains; TRAINING, EDUCATION and SENSITIZATION now! To whom it may concern ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ KOBINA AMO-AIDOO MSc Traffic & Transportation Engineering GHANA YOUTH MOVEMENT-GYM NPP CHINA BRANCH- DYO Kamoaidoo@hotmail.com +233 0243401415