The Government Must Intervene Over Recent Fuel Price Hikes, according to the Institute for Energy Security (IES), which has warned that the latest increases in petroleum prices are placing unbearable financial pressure on households, businesses, and transport operators across Ghana.

In a statement issued on August 3, 2026, IES expressed deep concern over the continued upward adjustment in fuel prices, stressing that the trend is increasing the cost of living and threatening economic stability. The institute urged the government to take swift policy action to protect consumers from the impact of rising petroleum prices.

According to IES, fuel is a major input in transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and commerce. As a result, higher pump prices inevitably trigger increases in transport fares, food prices, production costs, and inflation, while weakening the purchasing power of households.

The institute noted that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable, as rising fuel costs continue to increase operational expenses and reduce profitability.

IES acknowledged that petroleum prices are largely determined by international crude oil prices, movements in the foreign exchange market, and Ghana’s petroleum pricing framework. However, it maintained that government cannot remain passive when external market shocks significantly affect the welfare of citizens and the broader economy.

The think tank recalled that earlier this year, the government implemented policy measures that absorbed approximately GH¢2.00 per litre in fuel costs to ease the burden on consumers. According to IES, that intervention demonstrated the government’s commitment to protecting Ghanaians from petroleum price volatility and showed the importance of timely policy responses during periods of rising fuel prices.

IES believes the current market conditions justify a similar intervention and has therefore called on the government to urgently engage stakeholders and implement the same relief measures to cushion consumers against the latest fuel price increases.

The institute also urged authorities to intensify efforts to stabilise the Ghana cedi, describing exchange rate depreciation as one of the major factors driving domestic fuel price increases. It said maintaining a stable cedi would reduce the impact of global oil price fluctuations on Ghana’s fuel market and help keep petroleum prices under control.

IES concluded that prompt government intervention would not only provide immediate relief to consumers
but also help contain inflationary pressures, protect businesses, and support economic stability.

IES FUEL

GES recruitment has come under renewed scrutiny after the Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities issued a one-week ultimatum to the Government of Ghana, demanding the immediate recruitment of its members into the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the enforcement of the government’s 5% employment quota for persons with disabilities.

At a press briefing on Monday, August 3, 2026, the coalition accused the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service of failing to honour assurances made following an earlier protest on March 24, 2026, when officials allegedly promised that unemployed graduates with disabilities would be systematically absorbed into the public sector.

According to the coalition, approximately 7,000 personnel were recruited during the recent GES recruitment exercise. It said it had submitted a verified list of 200 qualified graduates with disabilities holding diplomas and degrees in education and humanities from accredited universities and colleges of education across Ghana for consideration.

However, the group alleged that none of the graduates on its submitted list received appointment letters despite what it described as assurances that a minimum 5% recruitment quota for persons with disabilities would be implemented. The coalition argued that a 5% allocation from 7,000 recruitments should have translated into at least 350 placements for persons with disabilities.

The coalition described the outcome as “systemic discrimination” and “institutional neglect,” saying many qualified graduates with disabilities have remained unemployed for several years despite completing tertiary education.

The group also criticised Parliament, claiming that petitions submitted to the Speaker, the Majority Caucus and the Minority Caucus over the unemployment situation had not received the necessary attention or action. It argued that Parliament had failed to exercise its oversight responsibility to ensure compliance with existing laws protecting persons with disabilities.

The coalition further contended that the government’s actions violate both domestic and international legal obligations, including Ghana’s Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes inclusive employment opportunities. It also referenced International Labour Organisation recommendations supporting employment quota systems for persons with disabilities.

Referring to President John Dramani Mahama’s recent launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities policy, the coalition said the President had publicly committed to implementing a 5% employment quota for persons with disabilities across public and private sector recruitment while incentivising private employers to hire qualified persons with disabilities. The coalition claimed the recent GES recruitment contradicted that commitment.

As part of its demands, the coalition called on President Mahama to remove the Minister for Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, alleging that they failed to implement the President’s directive regarding the 5% quota. It also urged the GES to issue appointment letters immediately to the graduates whose names had been submitted during the recruitment process.

Beyond the education sector, the coalition appealed to the President to direct the Minister for Finance to grant financial clearance for qualified non-teaching graduates with disabilities to be employed into institutions including the Local Government Service, Civil Service, Ghana Revenue Authority and other public sector agencies.

The coalition warned that if the government does not provide official written commitments addressing its concerns within one week, members from all 16 regions of Ghana will begin what it described as an indefinite peaceful occupation of Jubilee House, the Ministry of Finance and the GES Headquarters in Accra.

The statement concluded with an appeal to media organisations to continue highlighting what the coalition described as the injustices facing unemployed graduates with disabilities and to provide platforms for public discussion on the matter. The statement was signed by the coalition’s convener, Gilbert Boateng Agyare.

press statement by the coalition of unemployed graduates with disabilities on the recent GES recruitment and the way forward of their members.

The Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC)-Ghana has opposed the government’s decision to appoint a Transaction Advisor to facilitate Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the operations of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

In a press release issued on August 3, 2026, PUWU expressed disappointment that the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition proceeded with the appointment without first engaging organised labour, despite earlier assurances that consultations would take place before any major decision was made.

According to the union, the government had informed the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) that the Ministry would lead a comprehensive stakeholder consultation process on the proposed ECG Private Sector Participation initiative before the appointment of a Transaction Advisor.

PUWU said it was therefore surprised that the Ministry moved ahead with the appointment without fulfilling that commitment or adequately involving key stakeholders, particularly workers within the electricity distribution sector.

The union further stated that previous engagements between government and workers had created the expectation that organised labour would be consulted on any major policy direction affecting ECG and NEDCo.

PUWU described the latest development as unfortunate, questioning why the concerns and perspectives of workers, who play a critical role in the operations of the power distribution companies, had not been fully considered.

The union reiterated its long-standing position against attempts to privatise ECG and NEDCo, arguing that the challenges facing the companies can be addressed through internal reforms rather than transferring management responsibilities to private entities.

PUWU said it has consistently advocated reforms aimed at improving operational efficiency, financial sustainability, and service delivery within the electricity sector.

The proposed measures include strengthening revenue mobilisation, expanding the use of technology, improving procurement systems, enforcing financial discipline, investing in network expansion, developing staff capacity, and enhancing accountability mechanisms.

According to PUWU, these interventions would help resolve the operational difficulties facing ECG and NEDCo while maintaining public ownership and control of the country’s electricity distribution infrastructure.

The union argued that the government has not provided sufficient evidence to prove that private sector participation would produce better results compared to comprehensive reforms led by workers and management.

PUWU has therefore called on the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to suspend the Transaction Advisor appointment process and begin broader consultations with organised labour and other relevant stakeholders before proceeding with any decision concerning the ECG Private Sector Participation agenda.

PRESS RELEASE -APPOINTMENT OF TRANSACTION ADVISOR TO FACILITATE PSP IN ECG

PUWU Calls for Comprehensive ECG Reforms: The Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) has outlined what it describes as a comprehensive roadmap for transforming the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) without introducing private sector participation.

In a statement released on August 3, 2026, the union said meaningful reforms rather than privatisation offer the most sustainable solution to the operational and financial challenges facing Ghana’s electricity distribution sector.

PUWU identified several priority areas requiring immediate attention, including revenue protection, reduction of technical and commercial losses, deployment of modern technology, stronger financial accountability, improved procurement practices, staff capacity development and better operational management.

The union said these reforms would significantly improve efficiency, reduce system losses, enhance customer satisfaction, strengthen service reliability and ensure the long-term sustainability of ECG and NEDCo.

According to PUWU, electricity distribution is a strategic national asset that must remain under public control while benefiting from improved governance and operational excellence.

The union further argued that public ownership allows the state to pursue broader national objectives such as universal electricity access, social equity and industrial development, goals it believes could be compromised under private sector management.

PUWU also emphasised that ECG and NEDCo are essential to Ghana’s energy security and economic development, making it critical that any restructuring prioritises national interests over commercial considerations.

The union reiterated its readiness to work with the government to develop practical solutions that will strengthen both electricity distribution companies while protecting workers, consumers and public assets.

It therefore urged the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to halt the current process of appointing a Transaction Advisor and instead engage organised labour and other stakeholders in developing a nationally accepted reform agenda for ECG and NEDCo

PRESS RELEASE -APPOINTMENT OF TRANSACTION ADVISOR TO FACILITATE PSP IN ECG

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has expressed concern over rising youth unemployment and the growing number of young people who are neither in education, employment nor training (NEET), warning that urgent investment is needed to secure Ghana’s future.

According to the Service’s World Population Day 2026 press release, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first three quarters of 2025 recorded an average national unemployment rate of 12.8 per cent, while unemployment among young people aged 15 to 35 stood at 21.9 percent, nearly twice the national average.

The report further identified Greater Accra (31.9%), Central (27.4%), and Ashanti (27.2%) as the regions with youth unemployment rates consistently above the national youth average.

GSS also disclosed that nearly two million young people, representing 19.5 percent of the youth population by the third quarter of 2025, were classified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), meaning they were neither gaining skills through education nor participating in productive employment.

The report highlighted additional concerns over teenage pregnancy, noting that the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey found that 15 percent of girls aged 15–19 had ever been pregnant, while 11 per cent had already given birth. GSS said early pregnancy often disrupts education, limits skills development and reduces long-term economic participation, particularly among young women.

To reverse the trend, the Service called for sustained investment in technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, stronger school-to-work transition programmes and the expansion of productive sectors capable of creating decent jobs for Ghana’s growing youth population.

WORLD POPULATION DAY_ PRESS RELEASE_28.07.2026