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

Ghana’s youth population continues to grow, presenting both a major opportunity and a significant challenge for national development, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in its World Population Day 2026 press release.

The Service revealed that Ghana’s population has increased from 18.9 million in 2000 to 30.8 million in the 2021 Population and Housing Census, with projections estimating the population at 33.7 million in 2025. Young people aged 15 to 35 now constitute 36.9 percent of the projected population, meaning more than one in every three Ghanaians falls within the youth bracket.

Marking this year’s World Population Day under the theme, “Investing in Ghana’s Future through Healthy, Skilled and Empowered Young People,” GSS said the country’s youthful population could become a powerful driver of economic growth if adequate investments are made in education, healthcare and skills development.

However, the Service stressed that the demographic dividend can only be achieved if young people are equipped with relevant skills and provided with meaningful employment opportunities.

According to the report, sustainable investments in technical education, entrepreneurship development, stronger school-to-work transition programmes and expansion of productive sectors are essential to transform Ghana’s youth into active contributors to inclusive national development.

GSS concluded that the decisions made today regarding young people’s health, education and empowerment will determine whether Ghana’s growing youth population becomes its greatest economic asset or a major development challenge.

WORLD POPULATION DAY_ PRESS RELEASE_28.07.2026

President Mahama Arrives in Jamaica for Historic State Visit to Deepen Ghana-Caribbean Relations

President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, to begin a four-day official state visit aimed at strengthening the historic bonds between Ghana and Jamaica, deepening cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean, and advancing the global reparations agenda.

The President’s aircraft touched down at the Norman Manley International Airport on Sunday night, where he was received with official honours by a high-level Jamaican delegation led by Ambassador Sandra Grant Griffiths, Chief of State Protocol at the Office of the Prime Minister, and Ghana’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, H.E. Kofi Attor.

The official welcome included Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith; Jamaica’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Lincoln Downer; Under-Secretaries Ambassador Symone Betton-Nayo and Ambassador Franz Hall; as well as Dr. Janice Miller, Medical Director at the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

President Mahama was accompanied by a high-powered Ghanaian delegation comprising Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; Deputy Minister for Defence, Hon. Ernest Brogya Genfi; Special Aide and Presidential Advisor to President Joyce Bawa Mogtari.

The landmark visit, which runs from August 2 to August 5, 2026, is expected to further consolidate the longstanding diplomatic, cultural and economic relationship between Ghana and Jamaica while expanding cooperation between Ghana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It also follows Ghana’s recent humanitarian assistance to Jamaica after a devastating natural disaster, reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to supporting its Caribbean partners during times of crisis and recovery.

A major highlight of the visit will be President Mahama’s participation in a high-level Reparations Dialogue at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. He will join Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of UWI and Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, in discussions aimed at advancing the campaign for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and addressing its enduring impact on African and Caribbean peoples.

In recognition of the shared Pan-African heritage between the two nations, President Mahama will lay a wreath at the shrine of Jamaica’s National Hero, The Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, at the National Heroes Park. He will also visit Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann to tour the preserved Ghanaian Village Houses, a powerful symbol of the enduring historical and ancestral ties linking Ghana and Jamaica.

The President is also expected to hold high-level bilateral talks with Jamaican officials at the Office of the Prime Minister, focusing on expanding trade, investment, cultural exchange and broader South-South cooperation.

As part of his official engagements, he will address a joint sitting of Jamaica’s Houses of Parliament at the George William Gordon House, where he is expected to outline a bold vision for a stronger strategic partnership between Africa and the Caribbean.

His itinerary also includes a Trade and Investment Dialogue, a tour of the Kingston Freeport hosted by the Port Authority of Jamaica, a courtesy call on Opposition Leader Mark Golding, participation in the “Mello-Go-Roun” cultural celebrations marking Jamaica’s 64th Independence Anniversary, and a State Dinner hosted in his honour by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen at King’s House.