Paga Youth President Urges Government to Absorb Public Recruitment Fees, Calls for Completion of Agenda 111 Hospital

PAGA, Upper East Region – The President of the Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM), Mr. Wenawome Duriyem Aborah, has urged the Government of Ghana to absorb recruitment fees charged by public institutions, arguing that unemployed youth should not be compelled to pay application and processing charges before securing employment.

Addressing participants on 21st July 2026 during the 2026 Emancipation Day celebration at the historic Pikworo Slave Camp in Paga, Mr. Aborah said the rising financial burden associated with public sector recruitment has become a major obstacle for many qualified young people seeking jobs.

He explained that across Ghana, thousands of graduates leave colleges and tertiary institutions with hope, only to encounter the painful reality of costly recruitment processes that hinder their chances of employment.

Mr. Aborah proposed that recruitment costs be incorporated into the annual budgets of public institutions rather than imposed on applicants.

“I would like to propose that government bears the cost of application fees for recruitment into public institutions,” he stated.

He argued that since funds are already allocated to these institutions, provisions should be made to cover the application and recruitment process.

According to him, thousands of graduates and unemployed youth are already struggling with economic hardships, making it unreasonable to expect them to pay recruitment and processing fees before being considered for jobs.

He noted that many families are forced to borrow money or sell valuable possessions just to enable their children to apply for jobs, while others abandon the opportunity altogether because they cannot afford the required payments.

“Recruitment itself is naturally competitive, yet a financial burden is placed on applicants—many of whom borrow money that is never refunded when they are unsuccessful,” he reiterated.

For countless young people, he said, the process becomes another cycle of disappointment and hardship.

Mr. Aborah warned that the continued financial pressure on unemployed youth is contributing to the growing trend of irregular migration, with many young Ghanaians risking dangerous journeys to foreign countries in search of better opportunities.

He stressed that such migration exposes young people to exploitation, abuse, human trafficking and other forms of inhumane treatment. Creating accessible employment opportunities at home, he said, would significantly reduce the phenomenon.

He therefore appealed to the government to introduce policies that ease the financial burden on job seekers while expanding employment opportunities for the country’s growing youth population.

Call for Completion of Agenda 111 Hospital

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Paga Pio and the Paga Traditional Council, Mr. Awiah Thomas appealed to the government to accelerate infrastructure development in the area.

He identified poor road networks, inadequate healthcare facilities, educational challenges and other basic social amenities as critical issues requiring urgent government intervention.

Mr. Thomas particularly renewed the community’s appeal for the completion of the Agenda 111 Hospital project in Paga, urging the government to include the facility among the hospitals prioritized for completion to improve healthcare delivery in the area.

He noted that residents continue to face challenges accessing quality healthcare due to the absence of a fully functional modern hospital, forcing many patients to travel long distances for treatment.

He emphasized that quality healthcare, improved educational facilities and good roads remain essential ingredients for sustainable socio‑economic development, and called on the government to fulfil its commitment to improving living conditions in the border community.

The appeals formed part of activities marking the 2026 Emancipation Day celebration in Paga, where stakeholders used the occasion not only to reflect on the history of slavery and liberation but also to advocate policies and development initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of communities in the Upper East Region.