The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has blamed Ghana’s rising unemployment crisis for the tragic incident that occurred at the El-Wak Sports Stadium during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.
The labour union urged the government to use the upcoming 2026 Budget to introduce concrete and sustainable job creation measures that will give young people genuine opportunities for employment and social mobility.
Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, said the stampede that led to multiple deaths and injuries was a stark reminder of the desperation facing Ghana’s youth. He explained that the overwhelming turnout at the GAF recruitment exercise reflected the lack of viable job options in both the public and private sectors.
“Today we have seen what has happened at El-Wak because of the huge unemployment we have on our hands,” Dr. Otoo stated, lamenting that the tragedy was a painful illustration of the scale of Ghana’s unemployment problem.
According to him, the lives lost were those of young people who had simply been “responding to a call to serve their country.”
“These young people who have unfortunately lost their lives are sending a message to the government that it must do more to address the unemployment challenge”
Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC
The TUC Deputy Secretary-General stressed that the government cannot resolve the employment crisis without decisive support for the private sector, particularly in manufacturing, emphasising that productive investment, rather than ad hoc public recruitments, would create more sustainable jobs.
“Our government must do everything to support the private sector – to produce and to expand their businesses so they can recruit more,” Dr. Otoo noted, arguing that Ghana’s long-term economic stability depends on a strong private sector capable of absorbing the country’s growing labour force.
He urged President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to adopt a clear industrial policy that promotes local production and value addition to stimulate job creation.
Pension Reforms and Dialogue
Beyond unemployment, Dr. Otoo also raised concerns about the future of Ghana’s pension system. He proposed a national dialogue to review and strengthen the country’s retirement framework, which he said is becoming increasingly inadequate for workers in both the public and private sectors.
“There are issues about our pensions, and we need to tell the government to organise a national consultative dialogue to address pension matters in the country, especially with the second-tier scheme”
Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC
According to the TUC, reforms to the pension system are essential to guarantee income security and dignity for workers after active service.
The General Secretary of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), Mr. King James Azortibah, also joined the TUC’s call for a youth-focused budget, warning that any new taxes in the 2026 Budget could worsen the cost of living and stifle job creation.
“The fiscal policy and inflation should remain at a single digit,” Azortibah said. He added that the government must ensure targeted recruitment across sectors to support both the unemployed youth and those nearing retirement.
“Workers who are retiring, those migrating, and students in nursing colleges all need to be employed. We know the government has plans to recruit more into the public service, and this will help address the unemployment situation”
King James Azortibah, General Secretary of TEWU
The 2026 Budget, to be presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister on Thursday, November 14, is expected to outline the Mahama administration’s economic priorities and spending framework for the coming year.
The TUC hopes the document will address unemployment not as an isolated policy issue but as a structural crisis threatening social stability. The union said the El-Wak tragedy should mark a turning point in national policy, forcing the government to confront the economic realities that push young Ghanaians into desperate and unsafe conditions in search of work.
The TUC concluded that without urgent action, Ghana risks facing further instability and disillusionment among its youthful population, who remain the largest yet most vulnerable segment of the workforce.
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