TUC Warns of Deepening Youth Desperation, Calls for Stronger State Action After Recruitment Tragedy
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Trades Union Congress (TUC-Ghana) has raised fresh concerns about the growing desperation among young people in their search for employment, warning that the situation has reached a critical point and requires urgent, coordinated national action. The union says the tragic incident that occurred during the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium should be a wake-up call to the country’s leadership.
According to the TUC, the loss of six young women and the injury of several others during the stampede at El-Wak is a heartbreaking illustration of the lengths to which unemployed youth are now willing to go for job opportunities. The union extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a full and speedy recovery.
In its response, the labour union reiterated that it has for many years urged successive governments to focus on large-scale job creation, invest meaningfully in productive sectors, and properly resource labour-related ministries and agencies. It described persistent under-investment in institutions responsible for employment and human-capital development as a direct contributor to Ghana’s unemployment crisis and to the mounting pressure on young jobseekers.
The TUC said thousands of young people now view careers in the security services as one of the few remaining pathways to long-term job security. This, it argued, has made recruitment exercises extremely competitive and at times unsafe. It called for all public recruitment processes, particularly within the security services, to be organised in a safe, transparent and dignified manner that protects the lives of applicants.
The union further called on the Government, the Ministry of Defence and all relevant authorities to undertake a credible, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the El-Wak tragedy and ensure accountability. It also encouraged an immediate review of security-sector recruitment procedures to eliminate risks and guarantee fairness.
Moving beyond the immediate issues, the TUC renewed its call for sustained, large-scale interventions to tackle unemployment, especially among young women, who it said continue to face the highest barriers to decent work. It emphasised that Ghana needs a long-term national strategy grounded in job creation, employability programs, vocational and technical training, entrepreneurship support and the proper resourcing of labour institutions.
Expressing solidarity with young people across the country, the TUC said the El-Wak incident must mark a turning point in Ghana’s approach to employment. It noted that the broader crisis cannot be addressed by isolated reforms but by a firm national commitment to ensuring that every young person has access to decent and dignified work.
