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Cooking With Charcoal: The Cost of Not Going Green
By Bella Kasoa, Ghana — The rhythmic sound of metal pans scraping against coal pots fills the air as smoke rises above rows of makeshift food stalls. It’s just past noon, and 41-year-old Mama Esi fans the red-hot embers beneath her rice pot. “I’ve used charcoal for twenty years,” she says, squinting through the smoke. “It’s what I know. It’s what I can afford.” Like thousands of Ghanaians, especially women, Mama Esi relies on charcoal as her primary cooking fuel — a practice that’s deeply entrenched in culture, convenience, and cost. But beneath the crackle of flames lies a growing environmental crisis. A Nation Cooked on Coal Charcoal is used…
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When the Rain Doesn’t Come: Small Farmers Battle Climate Change
By Baaba Wa, Upper West Region — For 60-year-old farmer Alhaji Iddrisu, the sky used to be a dependable clock. By early May, the rains would arrive — nourishing his maize and groundnut fields in the village of Wechiau. But this year, like many before, the clouds gathered and passed. No rain. No crops. No income. “I planted twice,” he says, staring at a cracked patch of land. “The seeds died both times. Now, I have nothing.” Across Ghana, especially in the northern savannah regions, climate change is no longer theory — it’s daily life. And for the country’s smallholder farmers, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A Fragile Backbone Smallholder…
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When the Rain Doesn’t Come: Small Farmers Battle Climate Change
By Jasmine Wa, Upper West Region — For 60-year-old farmer Alhaji Iddrisu, the sky used to be a dependable clock. By early May, the rains would arrive — nourishing his maize and groundnut fields in the village of Wechiau. But this year, like many before, the clouds gathered and passed. No rain. No crops. No income. “I planted twice,” he says, staring at a cracked patch of land. “The seeds died both times. Now, I have nothing.” Across Ghana, especially in the northern savannah regions, climate change is no longer theory — it’s daily life. And for the country’s smallholder farmers, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A Fragile Backbone Smallholder…
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The Power Cut Chronicles: How Dumsor Shapes Daily Life
By Abena Accra, Ghana — It’s 8:15 p.m. in a quiet suburb of Dansoman. A toddler is halfway through brushing his teeth. A university student is typing a term paper. And a tailor is midway through hemming a dress for a Sunday wedding. Then, the lights go out. “This is the third time today,” sighs 27-year-old Kobby Appiah, holding up his phone flashlight. “You never really get used to it — but you adjust.” Welcome to the unofficial time zone of Ghana: “Dumsor.” A term combining the Akan words dum (off) and sor (on), it’s more than slang — it’s a lifestyle. A routine. A national inconvenience that has come…
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The Power Cut Chronicles: How Dumsor Shapes Daily Life
By Korkor Accra, Ghana — It’s 8:15 p.m. in a quiet suburb of Dansoman. A toddler is halfway through brushing his teeth. A university student is typing a term paper. And a tailor is midway through hemming a dress for a Sunday wedding. Then, the lights go out. “This is the third time today,” sighs 27-year-old Kobby Appiah, holding up his phone flashlight. “You never really get used to it — but you adjust.” Welcome to the unofficial time zone of Ghana: “Dumsor.” A term combining the Akan words dum (off) and sor (on), it’s more than slang — it’s a lifestyle. A routine. A national inconvenience that has come…
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The Weekend Hustle: Stories from the Saturday Market
Byline: By Nomako Madina, Accra — As early as 4:00 a.m., the sounds begin: baskets thumping, fabric rustling, hushed greetings whispered under breath. By sunrise, Madina Market is a controlled chaos — alive with color, bargaining, and survival. Every Saturday, thousands of traders from all over the capital descend on this sprawling commercial hub to make ends meet. For some, it’s a side hustle. For others, it’s their only source of income. “We don’t rest on weekends,” says Afia Nhyira, 38, who sells fried fish from a corner stall. “Saturday is where the money is. It’s our office, our bank, and our battlefield.” A Market That Never Sleeps Saturday markets…
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The Young and the Political: Why Gen Z Is Tuning In
By Dede Cape Coast, Ghana — At 21, Kwame Owusu doesn’t just scroll TikTok for fun. He scrolls for news. From trending debates in Parliament to live broadcasts of town hall meetings, Kwame and thousands of young Ghanaians are consuming — and participating in — politics in ways their parents never imagined. “We may not have power now,” he says, “but our voice? It’s louder than ever.” In a country where political apathy once defined the youth, Gen Z is showing up — online, on the streets, and at the ballot box. Their engagement isn’t always traditional, but it is real. And it is rising. A New Kind of Activism…
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Fighting Fires and Frustration: Inside the Life of a Ghanaian Firefighter
By Aboagye Takoradi, Ghana — The fire was already roaring through the carpentry shop when Assistant Station Officer Michael Asare and his team arrived. Smoke curled into the sky. Onlookers crowded in, shouting conflicting instructions. Their truck held only 500 gallons of water — barely enough. “We had to improvise,” he recalls. “Call another station, connect to a nearby tap, pray there’s water in the line. And most of all — stay calm.” It’s all in a day’s work for Ghana’s firefighters — frontline heroes battling blazes, road accidents, gas leaks, and public misconceptions with courage and often, very limited support. The Fire Within: The Work of Ghana’s Firefighters The…
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Beyond the Uniform: What Policemen Wish the Public Knew
By Felix Accra, Ghana — The siren fades into the distance. A young officer steps out of his patrol car, wipes the sweat from his brow, and greets the street vendor by name. It’s not a chase today. It’s community patrol. Sergeant Kwaku Amoako, 36, has worn the uniform for 14 years — and he says most people still don’t know what his job really involves. “They think we’re just here to harass,” he says quietly. “But we’re human too. We have families. We feel fear. We make tough calls.” The Thin Blue Line: Misunderstood and Overlooked Ghana’s police officers are among the most visible figures in public life —…
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The Silent Teachers: Grandparents Raising the Next Generation
By Kuuku Tamale, Ghana — In a modest compound house near Kalpohin, 64-year-old Madam Akosua Yeboah is braiding her 10-year-old granddaughter’s hair while stirring a pot of light soup. It’s a rhythm she’s mastered — switching between grandmother and parent, caregiver and counselor, cook and companion. Her daughter left for Saudi Arabia in search of better pay as a domestic worker four years ago. Since then, Akosua has become more than just “Nana.” She is now the mother figure in her grandchild’s life. “I thought I was done raising children,” she laughs softly, “but God gave me another round.” A Growing but Quiet Trend Across Ghana, more and more grandparents…
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Living With Disability: The Untold Stories of Accessibility in Ghana
By Naa Lamptey Koforidua, Ghana — Every morning, 25-year-old Adjoa Koomson wheels herself down a dirt path riddled with stones, puddles, and sharp turns. It’s just 300 meters to the roadside — but it can take up to 20 minutes. Sometimes, the wheels get stuck. Sometimes, she tips over. “I’m always scared I’ll fall,” she says. “But I can’t just stay home.” Adjoa was born with spina bifida. She uses a wheelchair to move around, but Ghana’s cities, transport systems, and institutions remain largely inaccessible — making daily life a test of strength, patience, and endurance. Disability in Ghana: The Statistics and Reality According to the Ghana Statistical Service: Despite…
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Clean Slate: The Realities of Prison Reintegration
By Adoma Kumasi, Ghana — It’s a humid Tuesday afternoon, and 34-year-old Yaw Antwi is behind a sewing machine in a small roadside container shop. The rhythmic hum of the needle cutting fabric might seem ordinary — but for Yaw, it’s extraordinary. Just two years ago, he was serving a sentence at Nsawam Medium Security Prison for theft. Today, he’s trying to rebuild a life — thread by thread — in a society that doesn’t always welcome returnees. “I served my time,” he says, “but the punishment didn’t end at the prison gate.” Life After Prison: The Hidden Sentence In Ghana, over 90% of prisoners eventually return to society. But…
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Rent Woes: The Real Struggle of Urban Housing
Byline: By Jasmine Accra, Ghana — At 6:00 a.m., 29-year-old Richard Owusu begins his daily commute from Pokuase to Adabraka. He spends over two hours in traffic. But that’s not the hardest part of his day. “The toughest thing,” he says, “is knowing I pay ₵1,200 a month for a single room with shared bath — and I had to pay two years in advance.” Like thousands of other Ghanaians, Richard is caught in the brutal web of urban housing stress, where tenants often cough up two years’ rent upfront, negotiate with unlicensed agents, and fight off eviction notices — all for cramped, substandard living. Ghana’s Rent Landscape: A Crisis…
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The Secret Lives of Hawkers: A Day in the Life on the Streets
By Jerry Accra, Ghana — At 5:30 a.m., before the city stirs to life, 17-year-old Ama Sarpong is already on the road with a basin full of boiled eggs on her head. Balancing the load with practiced ease, she walks briskly along Ring Road Central, dodging early traffic, calling out: “Eggs, hot eggs, one cedi!” By midday, she’s drenched in sweat. By nightfall, her voice is hoarse. But on a good day, she takes home ₵60. On a bad one, she returns with aching legs — and unsold eggs. “I’m the breadwinner in my family,” she says softly. “My mother is sick. My father is gone.” The Unseen Backbone of…
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Beyond the Headlines: What It’s Like Living in a Flood-Prone Area
By Nomako Odawna, Accra — The rain started around 3 a.m. At first, it was a steady patter on the rooftop. Then it turned into a roar. Within an hour, muddy water surged through the alleys and spilled into living rooms. Mattresses floated. Fridges toppled. Children screamed. For 42-year-old trader Kojo Mensah, it was the fourth time in two years his home had been submerged. “We didn’t even sleep,” he said. “We just stood in the water, waiting for it to stop.” In flood-prone communities like Odawna, Nima, and Kaneshie in Accra, flooding is no longer a seasonal nuisance — it’s a permanent threat, an annual trauma, and a glaring…
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Farming Dreams in the City: Urban Gardens Feeding Families
By Kwame Accra, Ghana — Nestled between a concrete wall and a mechanic’s workshop in the densely populated neighborhood of Alajo, rows of green lettuce, okra, and tomatoes sway gently under the morning breeze. There’s no farmland in sight, no tractor — just makeshift containers, old rice sacks, and plastic bottles arranged on wooden planks. This unlikely farm belongs to 45-year-old Patience Anokye, a single mother of three and a seamstress by trade. Two years ago, the pandemic slashed her client base and income. But she turned to a skill she had nearly forgotten — farming. “I was raised in the village where we grew our own food,” she says.…
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Selling Sunshine: How Ghana’s Solar Pioneers Are Changing Lives
By Abena Navrongo, Upper East Ghana — On a dusty patch of land near the edge of town, a cluster of shiny panels glistens under the scorching midday sun. Nearby, a group of young women assemble solar lanterns in a small container workshop. For many in this remote community, this isn’t just a project — it’s power, progress, and a paycheck. “I never thought light would come from the sky,” says 19-year-old Fatimata, who now earns ₵250 a month assembling solar kits. “But now, the sun gives us work — and light.” In a country where access to electricity remains uneven, solar entrepreneurs are transforming lives — one rooftop, one…
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Ghana’s Trash Problem: One Woman’s Fight Against Plastic Waste
By Chris Accra, Ghana — In the heart of Madina Zongo, a narrow footpath winds between makeshift kiosks and food stalls. A foul smell lingers in the air. Below the path, a drainage canal is choked with discarded sachet water bags, plastic bottles, and black polythene. It’s a common sight in Ghana’s urban neighborhoods — but one woman is trying to change that. Meet Felicia Owusu, a 38-year-old sanitation crusader who has turned her frustration into action. With a reflective vest, broom in hand, and an ever-present megaphone, she leads a community clean-up every Saturday, shouting: “If you eat, bin it! If you drink, don’t drop it!” She’s not a…
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Cooking With Charcoal: The Cost of Not Going Green
By Nene Kasoa, Central Region — The sound of sizzling stew fills the small compound as Esi Darko fans the glowing charcoal in her clay stove. A mother of four, she starts cooking every day before dawn. Firewood is too smoky, gas is too expensive. So, like millions of Ghanaians, she relies on charcoal. “This is what I can afford,” she says. “Gas is faster, yes — but one refill costs me more than two weeks of food.” Across Ghana, charcoal remains the primary cooking fuel for over 35% of households, especially in peri-urban and rural communities. But the true cost of this widespread dependence is much higher than the…
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When the Rain Doesn’t Come: Small Farmers Battle Climate Change
By Adoma Garu, Upper East Ghana — On a cracked field just outside town, 52-year-old Alhassan Naaba kneels beside wilted maize stalks and dusty groundnut vines. The rains, which usually begin in May, have barely come. His hopes for this year’s harvest — and his family’s survival — hang in the balance. “Last year, we harvested four bags,” he says, pointing to a dry stretch of earth. “This year, we may not get even one.” Across Ghana’s northern regions and parts of the savannah belt, climate change is hitting smallholder farmers hard. Rainfall is becoming less predictable, droughts are longer, and when the rain finally comes, it often arrives in…
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Clean Water Still a Luxury: Why Many Communities Are Left Behind
By Kwame Tumu, Upper West Ghana — At 5:15 a.m., 13-year-old Mabel Kuunu sets off with a yellow gallon balanced on her head. She walks two kilometers to a muddy stream — the only source of water her village has known for generations. By the time she returns, she’s missed her morning lessons at school. “We use this water for everything,” she says, “even though it tastes bad.” Despite Ghana’s middle-income status and ambitious development goals, access to clean and safe drinking water remains a daily struggle for millions, especially in rural areas. In some places, water is not just scarce — it’s a luxury. The Water Access Landscape According…
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The Silent Struggle: Mental Health Among Ghanaian Youth
By Jasmine Accra, Ghana — At first, Ama’s friends thought she was just tired. The once-bubbly 20-year-old had stopped going out, skipped lectures, and often stayed in bed all day. She told no one that she cried every night and had begun to feel like life wasn’t worth living. “I didn’t know what was happening to me,” she says softly. “I just thought I was weak.” Ama isn’t alone. A silent crisis is sweeping across Ghana’s youth: rising levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional distress, all hidden behind filtered selfies, exam scores, and expectations to be “strong.” And for too many, help remains out of reach. The Hidden Epidemic Mental…
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Betting Culture: The High Stakes of Ghana’s Gaming Boom
By Steph Kumasi, Ghana — On a bustling street corner near Kejetia Market, a queue forms outside a brightly lit betting shop. Inside, 22-year-old Daniel Owusu hunches over his phone, refreshing a football live-score app. His ticket is riding on a Serie A match in Italy — and if Napoli wins, he walks away with ₵420. “This is how I make my lunch money,” he says, eyes glued to the screen. “Sometimes I win. Sometimes I don’t. But I always try.” Ghana’s betting industry has exploded in the past five years, driven by mobile phone penetration, youth unemployment, sports obsession, and fintech convenience. From Accra to Bolgatanga, betting kiosks and…
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Digital Romance: Love and Lies in the Age of Online Dating
By Nomako Accra, Ghana — When 26-year-old Leticia Mensah matched with “Kelvin” on Instagram, he seemed perfect — charming, attentive, and successful. After weeks of chatting, he asked for a loan to fix his car and promised to pay it back. She sent ₵500. “He blocked me the next day,” she recalls. “I was heartbroken. And broke.” Leticia is one of many Ghanaians navigating the modern maze of digital romance — where love blossoms through emojis, voice notes, and hashtags, but just as easily evaporates behind a screen. Online dating is on the rise in Ghana, fueled by expanding internet access, mobile apps, and shifting social norms. From Facebook and…
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The Internet Divide: Who Gets Left Behind in a Digital Ghana?
By Baaba Bongo District, Upper East Ghana — Fifteen-year-old Charity Adongo squints at her teacher’s chalkboard from the back of a packed classroom. She’s never touched a laptop. She’s never watched a YouTube video. She’s never Googled her homework. But she’s expected to pass ICT exams. “There’s one computer at school,” she says. “We take turns touching it once a week.” As Ghana accelerates toward a digital future — with e-government services, mobile banking, online learning, and remote work — not all citizens are moving at the same pace. Across towns and rural villages, the internet divide remains a glaring barrier, locking out millions from opportunity, learning, and even basic…
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When Dreams Are Delayed: What It’s Like to Wait Years for a Government Job
ByWhinneyr Tamale, Ghana — Every morning for the past two years, 28-year-old Abdul Rahim checks the Ghana Health Service website. He scrolls past updates and circulars, hoping — again — to see his recruitment notice. “I graduated in 2021 as a qualified nurse,” he says. “I passed my licensing exams. But I’m still at home, waiting.” Abdul is one of thousands of Ghanaian graduates trapped in a long and uncertain wait for public sector employment — especially in health, education, and civil service roles. For many, the dream of stable government work has become a drawn-out ordeal filled with false starts, dashed hopes, and economic stagnation. A System on Hold…
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The Gospel of Work: Why Churches Are Teaching
By Kotobabi Accra, Ghana — On a Sunday morning at Word of Purpose Chapel, the congregation doesn’t just pray for jobs — they learn how to create them. Pastor Emmanuel Ofori stands at the pulpit, Bible in one hand and a projector remote in the other. His sermon today? “Building Business on Biblical Principles.” By 11:30 a.m., he’s presenting a PowerPoint on savings, seed capital, and startup strategy. “Faith without works is dead,” he says. “And in this economy, prayer must meet planning.” Across Ghana, churches are expanding their mission from spiritual guidance to entrepreneurial empowerment — offering training, mentorship, seed funding, and workshops on business development. In a society…
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From Streets to Skills: Vocational Training Changing Lives
By TT Kumasi, Ghana — At 8:00 a.m. sharp, 19-year-old Emmanuel Mensah is already at his sewing machine. The rhythmic buzz of needles fills the training center where he’s learning fashion design. Just two years ago, he was hawking chewing gum at a traffic light. “I didn’t finish SHS,” he says. “I thought that was the end. But learning a skill gave me another chance.” Across Ghana, vocational and technical training programs are quietly transforming lives — particularly for young people who have fallen through the cracks of the formal education system. In a job market where degrees don’t always lead to employment, hands-on skills are offering a new path…
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From Passion to Profit: Turning Hobbies into Businesses
By Naa Lamptey Tema, Ghana — When 31-year-old Ama Gyan started making scented candles in her kitchen, it was a form of stress relief. “I was burned out from my day job in insurance,” she says. “Making candles helped me relax.” She never imagined that three years later, her brand — Luma Scents — would be supplying boutique shops across Accra and shipping to customers in the UK. “I turned my passion into a business,” she smiles. “And it saved my life.” Ama is part of a growing movement in Ghana: young creatives and professionals building successful businesses from the things they love. From art and baking to photography and…
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Side Hustle Nation: Why Young People Are Redefining Employment
Byline: By Aisha Accra, Ghana — On a Friday night in Osu, the city pulses with energy. The restaurants are busy, the music loud, and weaving through the crowd is 26-year-old Derrick Teye, delivering shawarma orders on his motorbike. But by day, he’s not a delivery rider — he’s a graphic designer. “I work at a media firm until 5 p.m.,” he explains. “Then I switch to my side hustle to boost my income. That’s how I’m paying for my Master’s.” Derrick is one of many young Ghanaians embracing what has become a defining feature of modern youth life: the side hustle. From digital services and food delivery to shoemaking…
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School Feeding Programs: Lifelines or Loopholes?
By Aisha Savelugu, Northern Ghana — At 10:15 a.m., the clanging of metal pots echoes through the dusty courtyard of a rural primary school. It’s lunchtime, and a line of excited children snakes toward the open kitchen. For many of them, the plate of rice and beans they’re about to receive will be their only proper meal of the day. “If there is no food at school, I don’t eat until evening,” says 8-year-old Rahama, holding her tin bowl with both hands. The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), introduced in 2005, was designed to fight child hunger and boost school enrollment in underserved communities. Twenty years on, its impact is…
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Why Parents Are Choosing Private Over Public Schools
Byline: By Jasmine Accra, Ghana — When 35-year-old Lydia Owusu enrolled her son Kobby in a private basic school in Adenta, she did so with mixed emotions. It meant cutting back on luxuries, skipping vacations, and sometimes borrowing money. “But I had no choice,” she says. “The public school near us had 60 children in one class, and the teacher barely knew their names.” Like Lydia, an increasing number of Ghanaian parents are opting for private schools — even in low-income communities — in search of smaller classes, tighter discipline, and better academic results. Once seen as a luxury for the elite, private education has become a mainstream response to…
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When School Is Far: The Long Walk to Education
By Kwame Upper West Region, Ghana — Every weekday before dawn, 11-year-old Fuseini Wakil leaves his village barefoot, a frayed exercise book clutched in hand. His journey to school takes nearly an hour each way — through fields, across streams, and along dusty roads. “My feet hurt sometimes,” he says softly. “But I want to learn so I don’t end up like the men in the village who just dig and farm.” Across Ghana, thousands of children like Fuseini endure physically taxing and often dangerous treks just to access basic education. While policies on free and compulsory basic education exist on paper, the distance to school remains a stubborn barrier…
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TikTok Teachers: How Social Media is Changing Learning
By Adoma Accra, Ghana — With just a ring light, a whiteboard, and a smartphone, 28-year-old teacher Isaac Mensah has become a minor celebrity among Ghanaian SHS students on TikTok. In 60-second videos, he simplifies complex math concepts, cracking jokes while solving equations. “People call me ‘Teacher TikTok’,” he says, laughing. “At first it was just a hobby, now I have over 50,000 followers — and some parents even pay me to tutor their children.” What began as entertainment has transformed into an educational revolution. Across Ghana and the continent, social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are reshaping how young people learn, share knowledge, and access study support.…
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From Classroom to Job Market: The Gap That Still Exists
By Nomako Cape Coast, Ghana — When 25-year-old Joseph Owusu graduated with a degree in business administration, he was filled with pride — and high hopes. “I thought I’d be in a corporate office by now,” he says, seated behind a kiosk where he currently sells airtime and soft drinks. “It’s been 18 months and not one job offer. I’ve applied to over 90 places.” Joseph’s story is all too familiar across Ghana: graduates armed with certificates, ambition, and mounting pressure — but facing a job market that doesn’t seem to need them. Despite national efforts to promote education, the pipeline between universities and employment remains broken. Experts call it…