By Obiribea Jennifer Mantebea (UniMAC-IJ, Faculty of Journalism)
Is there life beyond graduation? Can we survive after graduation? These difficult questions come up frequently, but we aim to conquer them in the long term. Where would life be without happiness? Where is there life without hope? Growing up, our elders used to tell us that a good life begins the moment we enter the world. However, I assume these words were intended to improve our morale. How can we struggle, weep, and sweat in a diversified world full of different beings, expecting to prevail in the end, only to discover ourselves fighting a losing battle? I used to believe that all we needed after finishing our studies was something to support us financially, but I quickly realised that this was not the case. The reality is, a majority of university graduates, especially in Ghana, are facing difficult times when it comes to obtaining work.
There have been speculations over the years about the low allowances for national service personnel. According to the World Bank, an estimated 110,000 young people graduate from colleges each year, primarily in non-oil and mineral extractive sectors, implying that more than 12% of the youth are unemployed, with more than four times that number underemployed. The employment rate in industrialized countries such as the United States is high. For example, in 2022, California had the most employed individuals in the United States, with around 18.4 million, followed by Texas, which had 14.1 million. The striking disparity raises concerns about Ghana’s future. Despite the government’s introduction of many interventionist programmes such as the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) and One District, One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Youth Employment Agency, and the National Youth Authority to address the situation, there has been little improvement.
Is this the country of gold, diamonds, and silver? Where are we going, Mother Ghana? We pride ourselves on being a resourceful country, but a large percentage of our young people are desperately looking for work and are constantly turned down. During an interactive session with some National Service personnel, they discussed the various problems they have faced in their jobs. They conveyed their dissatisfaction with the sometimes delayed and inadequate payment of their allowance. They also discussed how hard it is to find work in the nation and how many of them are thinking about abandoning national service because there aren’t enough jobs available. As a result, several graduates think about relocating abroad in search of more opportunities. I was perplexed when I chatted with other graduates since they talked about their personal experiences. It was shocking to learn that some people had to stay at home for five or nine years before they could find work, while others were hired within a few months. I questioned why there would be such a gap in results for those with the same qualifications. It appears that relationships with people in higher levels are generally necessary in Ghana in order to secure employment. Those without these ties feel like they have become a burden to their family, which makes them angry and miserable. University of Education alumnus Derrick Omari discussed this topic from his personal perspective. He claims that after going through many difficult times in school, it took him nine long years to eventually get employment.
Since the finance minister has encouraged students to pursue entrepreneurship, he does not think there would be any possibilities for new grads. “I had to add extra papers—a cover letter—and send them to offices and emails, sometimes even paying receptionists to transport my documents after paying fees, purchasing books, using airtime, and paying dormitory fees, all in order to earn a piece of paper with a degree. Because I didn’t have the necessary contacts, had to have two to five years of work experience, or had enough money to pay bribes, I was turned down several times.
“With our finance minister saying that the government sector is already full and that incoming graduates should pursue entrepreneurship, I cannot expect anything positive for incoming graduates,” he underlined.
In light of all of these elements, I think that when it comes to employment acquisition, equity and equality should get the proper attention.
All individuals who meet the necessary requirements ought to be afforded equal opportunities to succeed in their particular employment markets, regardless of their personal origins.
