The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Development and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has officially launched the National Labour Migration Readiness Campaign, a nationwide initiative aimed at preparing Ghanaian youth for safe, ethical and legal labour migration while protecting them from fraudulent recruitment and human trafficking.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, described the campaign as a major step towards strengthening Ghana’s labour migration governance and expanding access to verified international employment opportunities for qualified young people. He said the initiative aligns with government’s broader agenda of creating decent jobs while ensuring that labour migration contributes positively to national development.
Dr. Pelpuo highlighted the approval of Ghana’s National Labour Exchange Policy and Framework, which provides a coordinated and demand-driven system for facilitating ethical international labour migration. Under the framework, programmes such as the Youth Employment Agency Labour Exchange Programme will connect qualified Ghanaian youth with verified employers abroad while ensuring rigorous screening, adherence to international standards and protection of workers’ rights.
He explained that the Labour Migration Readiness Campaign would be rolled out across all sixteen regions of Ghana to educate young people on legitimate migration pathways, recruitment requirements, workers’ rights, employment conditions, financial literacy, career guidance, skills profiling and pre-departure preparations.
According to him, the nationwide sensitisation drive is intended to close the information gap that has enabled fraudulent recruiters and traffickers to exploit unsuspecting job seekers. He urged prospective migrants to rely only on officially recognised recruitment channels and avoid individuals or organisations promising unrealistic overseas employment opportunities.
Delivering remarks at the launch, the Minister for Youth Empowerment and Development, Hon George Opare Addo underscored the growing aspirations among Ghanaian youth to seek employment abroad amid limited domestic opportunities. He observed that while thousands of graduates enter the labour market annually, available jobs remain insufficient, making many young people vulnerable to fraudulent recruitment schemes. He stressed that the challenge is not young people’s desire to work overseas but ensuring they do so safely and legally through credible government-supported programmes.
Hon Opare Addo explained that changing global demographics, particularly labour shortages in several European countries, present legitimate employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth. He said Ghana possesses a youthful and capable workforce that can meet international labour demands if adequately trained and prepared to satisfy destination-country standards. He therefore called for stronger partnerships to enhance skills development and establish training programmes that align with international labour market requirements.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr. Malik Basintale reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to implementing the Labour Exchange Programme as a credible pathway for qualified Ghanaian youth to access international employment opportunities. He noted that the programme forms part of government’s broader strategy to address youth unemployment while ensuring that overseas recruitment is conducted transparently, ethically and in collaboration with relevant national and international stakeholders.
The CEO assured participants that YEA would continue working closely 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 required for successful participation in international labour markets.
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