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Sex For Job, The Case Of Ghana

Feature Article Sex For Job, The Case Of Ghana
MAR 24, 2016 LISTEN

Human beings using sex for favors have probably been with man since the beginning and it's no different now even in the 21st century. If one problem could be considered a global canker it will be the phenomenon of people using sex to get jobs and Ghana is no exception to that phenomenon. However, this phenomenon seems to more prevalent in the developing countries compared to the developed world. Thus I will take Ghana which is a developing country and use it as a case study for the topic.

Sex for job refers to a situation where a prospective employee or a candidate for a vacant position is requested by the employer or the person in charge of recruitment to have sexual intercourse with him/her before being considered for the position whether they are qualified or not. This situation is not only unfortunate but demeaning and means that we may end up putting “square pegs in round holes”, as the best suited for a position may not be the one to get the job unless they are willing to sleep with the recruiter.

Simple surf on the internet on the topic will reveal countless reports and confessions of victims of this act in Ghana. On November 24th 2010, for example, the Daily Guide newspaper reported that, Abdul Samad Mohammed, a former Junior High School (JHS) teacher, was dismissed when the disciplinary committee of NYEP at the national headquarters in Accra sat on his alleged sexual assault of female employees of the program. According to the story, a female employee of the program at the Bibiani-Anwianso-Bekwai district who revealed the issue said that Samad Mohammed agreed to employ her after she gave in to his sexual advances. Similarly, the Finder newspaper also reported on 17th January, 2013that, the Kwahu East District National Youth and Employment Programme (NYEP) Coordinator, Mr Addo Adjei, is in trouble for allegedly using his office for 'sex- for-job' activities. This is quite a curious case as two different instances of sex for job has been reported in the same institution in different districts.

The most worrying aspect of the situation is a revelation made by the Finder after a survey on sex for jobs. It was uncovered that instances of sexual advances from male employers in media houses were higher than the other areas. Out of 15 media houses sampled, 12 cases of sexual intercourse between male superiors and their female subordinates were recorded, thus topping the list of offenders. Thus the Ghanaian media which are thought to be the fourth estate of the realm and the institution to protect and highlight people's fundamental human rights are one of the major perpetrators of the act.

The obvious reasons why sex for jobs will be more prevalent in Ghana are; poverty, unemployment (of all kinds), graduate unemployment and under employment. According to the Ghana Statistical Service, although unemployment rate in Ghana between 2012 and 2013 was 5.7 percent, all is not rosy. The Ghana Living Standard Survey 6 with Labor Module conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service revealed that, although only 5.7 percent of the population is unemployed, more than one-third of the working population is underemployed. The figure of 5.7 percent it should be noted represents those who are unemployed because of non availability of jobs. That is, the figure of the total unemployed including children, those schooling, and those too old to work is much higher.

Also, two-thirds, representing 68.7 percent of the working population, are in vulnerable employment, and one-third (33.3%) of the employed persons are underemployed. Of the underemployed people, 50.6 percent are self-employed and more than one-third (35.0%) are contributing family workers. The working population is dominated by people with little (up to BECE) or no education (82.4%), meaning that most of the working population work under poor conditions with no written contract with the employer and low earnings. This therefore means that, graduate unemployment is pretty high in the country because less the 20 percent of all those employed are graduates.

With these statistics, coupled with high poverty levels in Ghana, it is therefore no surprise that the phenomenon of sex for jobs is thriving. Ghanaian youth especially in their frustration to achieve their dreams and free themselves from the quagmires of unemployment end up resorting to unconventional means to securing jobs. The unfortunate thing is that most people may not be aware of the fact that that, sex for job is a form of sexual harassment. The definition of sexual harassment is “…any unwelcome, offensive, or importunate sexual advances or requests made by an employer or superior officer or a co-worker to a worker, whether the worker is a man or a woman”. Also, “The law further provides that a worker may have his/her employment contract terminated on grounds of sexual harassment”. (www.mywage.org)

From the above, it has been revealed that sex for jobs is a real problem in Ghana and occurs both in government institutions as well as private companies including the media which is supposed to expose some of these acts. The major cause is high levels of unemployment in Ghana coupled with poverty. The solution to ending this canker may reside in sensitization of the citizen's on their rights and what they can do when someone makes such advances. Also steps should be taken to solve the unemployment problem in the country through government investing in job creation.

Another way of solving the problem will be reducing the human factor when it comes to recruitment of potential workers. Companies can opt for online application modules and assessment/ aptitudes such that prospective workers will be asked to send applications through email, shortlisted applicants will then be contacted through their emails to complete an online aptitude or interview questionnaire and the best candidate selected. This will ensure that those in charge of hiring will have minimal contact with job seekers and thus may not get opportunity to ask for sexual favors. Also, the labor commission as well as owners of companies and CEO's must have designated offices that deal with sexual harassment charges as well as a special unit that investigates sex for jobs cases. However, the ultimate solution lies in government partnering the private sector and foreign investors to reduce unemployment drastically to reduce the desperation of people that leads to them seeking to use “what they have to get what they want”.

The Author Albert Opare is a political science graduate from the University of Ghana and a social commentator as well as a social & political activist. You can contact the author by mail on [email protected] or txt on 0575125101. Comments and Criticisms are welcome

REFERENCES
Daily Guide. (2010). Sex for Jobs at NYEP -Boss Fired. Retrieved, 16th October, 2015. From http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Sex-for-Jobs-at-NYEP-Boss-Fired-198110

Ghana Statistical Service. (2013). Ghana Living Standards Survey 6 with Labour Force Module (GLSS6/LFS). Retrieved, 16th October, 2015. From http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/glss6.html

Mywage.org/Ghana. Sexual Harassment. Retrieved, 16th October, 2015. From http://www.mywage.org/ghana/home/labour-law/fair-treatment-at-work/sexual-harassment/sexual-harassment-faq

The Finder. (2011). No sex, No Job – Report. Retrieved, 16th October, 2015. From http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/No-sex-no-job-Report-225688

The Finder Newspaper. (2013). Sex-For-Jobs Hits NYEP. Retrieved, 16th October, 2015. From https://www.modernghana.com/news/439990/1/sex-for-jobs-hits-nyep.html

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