Ghanaian nurses and teachers will soon have the opportunity to take up employment in Jamaica, following a new agreement between the government of Ghana and Jamaica.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the arrangement after holding bilateral talks with Jamaican Foreign Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith during the recent Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) summit in Brussels.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday [May 24, 2025], Mr Ablakwa described the meeting as “immensely successful.”
According to him, Jamaica has agreed to receive qualified nurses and teachers from Ghana under what he described as a “special bilateral partnership.”
“This new arrangement creates real opportunities for our professionals who are ready to work abroad,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts to deepen ties between Ghana and Jamaica. The two countries are expected to hold regular political consultations and engage in joint initiatives in trade, education, agriculture, tourism, culture and sports.
For many trained Ghanaian nurses and teachers who have struggled to find work locally due to limited public sector recruitment and budget restrictions, the agreement comes as welcome news, he indicated.
Over the years, Ghana has produced more nurses and teachers than the government can employ, leaving many qualified professionals jobless and seeking opportunities abroad.
The arrangement with Jamaica offers an alternative destination, with the potential for better pay and working conditions compared to what is currently available in Ghana.
Mr Ablakwa noted that the two countries were also exploring opportunities in trade and agribusiness. This could help Ghanaian farmers and exporters find new markets in the Caribbean. Tourism cooperation may also increase the flow of visitors and generate income for both countries.
Cultural and sports exchanges are expected to give Ghanaian creatives and athletes more platforms to share their work and build relationships with Caribbean counterparts.
Mr Ablakwa underscored the historical connection between Ghana and Jamaica, describing the partnership as a step towards deepening centuries-old ties.
“Ghana and Jamaica are set to expand the frontiers of our inseparable historical relations,” he said.
Jamaica, like much of the Caribbean, has deep links to West Africa through the transatlantic slave trade, with many Jamaicans tracing their ancestry to what is today Ghana.

Source : graphiconline

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed deep concern over the growing trend of indiscipline in Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country.

His comments echo warnings from the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), which recently decried the erosion of discipline in schools. NAGRAT has given the government an ultimatum to address the situation by the end of the month or face protective action from teachers against violent students.

Speaking during a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Jubilee House on Friday, May 23, 2025, President Mahama emphasized the need for collective action to reverse the trend.

READ ALSO: Catholic Bishops urge President Mahama to declare galamsey state of emergency

“There is a breakdown of values and morals, and that is creating some issues in our schools. There have been incidents where you find students with guns in our public schools. There is also the student who almost lost her eyesight because a student fired a gun,” he said.

The President also questioned how issues such as curriculum design, moral education, student discipline, and teacher absenteeism were being addressed.

“So, what do we do about our curriculum, moral education, discipline, and teacher absenteeism? The inspectorate division of the GES cannot be everywhere at the same time to make sure that teachers are in school,” he noted.

Mahama called for closer cooperation between the Ghana Education Service and faith-based institutions to ensure accountability and enhance monitoring.

“So, how can we collaborate with the churches and find out whether the teachers who have been posted to these schools are actually going to schools and teaching? I think collaboration will help solve the issue,” he added.

On a separate issue, President Mahama described the fight against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, as a deeply complex challenge, exacerbated by the country’s current economic difficulties and high youth unemployment.

He observed that limited job opportunities have led many unskilled youth to engage in illegal mining activities to survive.

President Mahama also drew a distinction between galamsey and legitimate small-scale mining, stating, “Small-scale mining, when properly regulated, is not illegal.”

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The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has cautioned transport stations and branches against defying the newly implemented 15% fare reduction, emphasising that sanctions will be imposed on those who fail to comply.

General Secretary of GPRTU, Godfred Abulbire, acknowledged that some operators in the Ashanti Region had cited late communication as a reason for their delay in adjusting fares.

READ ALSO: GPRTU To Reduce Transport Fares By 15% Effective May 25

However, he assured that measures have been put in place to ensure full compliance.

“The chairman has forwarded another press release and made it known that by tomorrow, if stations or branches working under us don’t comply with the directives, sanctions will be meted out to those terminals,” Abulbire stated on the Channel One Newsroom on Saturday May 24.

READ ALSO: GPRTU and GRTCC Announce New Transport Fare Chart Following 15% Reduction, Effective May 24

He further stressed that one of the most effective penalties would be preventing non-compliant drivers from loading passengers.

“A particular punishment drivers do not like is to seize him or stop him from loading. So we think that is what we need to do,” he added.

READ ALSO: A/R: Drivers defy GPRTU fare reduction directive, cite high operating costs

The fare reduction directive was introduced in response to declining fuel prices, with authorities expecting transport operators to adjust accordingly.

While some have adhered to the new pricing structure, others have resisted, citing operational costs.

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