Labour Migration Campaign to Expand Access to Verified Overseas Jobs for Ghanaian Youth- Labour Minister
The National Labour Migration Readiness Campaign will strengthen Ghana’s labour migration system and expand access to verified international employment opportunities for qualified young people.
The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, disclosed this at the launch of the initiative on Thursday in Accra.
According to the Minister, the nationwide campaign supports the government’s efforts to create decent jobs while ensuring that labour migration contributes to national development.
Dr Pelpuo said the campaign follows the approval of Ghana’s National Labour Exchange Policy and Framework, which provides a coordinated and demand-driven system for ethical international labour migration.
He explained that programmes such as the Youth Employment Agency Labour Exchange Programme will connect qualified Ghanaian youth with verified employers abroad through proper screening, compliance with international standards and measures that protect workers’ rights.
He said the campaign will be rolled out across all sixteen regions to educate young people on approved migration pathways, recruitment requirements, workers’ rights, employment conditions, financial literacy, career guidance, skills profiling and pre-departure preparation.
According to the Minister, the public education campaign seeks to reduce the information gap that has allowed fraudulent recruiters and traffickers to exploit job seekers. He advised prospective migrants to use only officially recognised recruitment channels and avoid individuals or organisations offering unrealistic overseas job opportunities.
On his part, the Minister for Youth Empowerment and Development, Mr George Opare Addo, said many young people are seeking employment abroad because the number of graduates entering the labour market each year exceeds available job opportunities. He said this has exposed many to fraudulent recruitment schemes.
Mr Opare Addo said labour shortages in several European countries have created genuine employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth.
He added that Ghana has a capable workforce that can meet international labour demands if young people receive the right training and are prepared to meet destination country requirements.
He noted that the goal is not to discourage labour migration but to ensure that young people migrate safely through credible government-supported programmes.
He called for stronger partnerships to improve skills development and training that responds to international labour market needs.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency, Malik Basintale, reaffirmed the commitment to implementing the Labour Exchange Programme as a trusted pathway for qualified Ghanaian youth to secure international employment.
Mr Basintale said the programme forms part of the government’s efforts to reduce youth unemployment while ensuring that overseas recruitment is carried out transparently, ethically and in partnership with national and international stakeholders.
He assured participants that the YEA would continue to work with the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment.
“The Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Development, development partners and recruitment agencies to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to compete successfully in international labour markets,” he added.
The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Development and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), aims to prepare Ghanaian youth for safe, legal and ethical labour migration while protecting them from fraudulent recruitment and human trafficking.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
