The founder of Power to Girls Foundation, Aisha Addo, has called for stronger safety and labour protections for young women as Ghana implements its 24-hour economy policy.

Addo said the success of the policy should not be measured solely by the number of jobs created but also by whether the jobs are safe, secure and adequately paid.

“If we’re saying that women are going to be working around the clock, what safety, what guardrails are we putting in place for their safety?” Addo said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (12 August).

She said young women working night shifts could face particular safety risks and urged policymakers to ensure that employers provide secure working environments.

Addo also called for measures to prevent exploitation, including proper enforcement of labour standards and decent wages.

“Decent jobs are more important than just jobs,” she said.

Her comments come as the government promotes the 24-hour economy as a strategy to expand economic activity and create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

Addo said policymakers must also ensure that young people, including women, are directly involved in discussions over policies designed to benefit them.

“People that are going to be benefiting from whatever we’re putting together are in the room when these decisions are being made,” she said.

She argued that young people should not simply be treated as beneficiaries of policy but should have a voice in shaping it.

Beyond the 24-hour economy, Addo said Ghana’s education system needed to place greater emphasis on practical skills to help young people transition from school into employment or entrepreneurship.

She identified skills development and access to finance as two major barriers preventing young women from moving from education to economic independence.

According to Addo, some young women complete senior high school but cannot afford tertiary education, while employers often require university qualifications even for entry-level positions.

“The skill gap is quite wide,” she said.

She urged employers to expand internship and apprenticeship opportunities for young people who may not have university degrees but have the capacity to learn and work.

Addo also called for curriculum reforms to better prepare students for changes in the labour market, particularly as artificial intelligence and other technologies reshape industries.

She said education should equip young people with critical thinking, entrepreneurship and practical skills alongside academic qualifications.

“Education alone cannot guarantee a sustainable livelihood,” she said.

Addo said Ghana also needed to expand opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, the creative industry and entrepreneurship, where young people could build livelihoods outside traditional salaried employment.