The government has announced a major policy shift requiring private sector organisations participating in a new national service scheme to employ or retain at least 60 per cent of national service personnel posted to them.
The directive was issued by the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr. George Opare Addo, as part of a broader plan to transform national service from a mandatory one-year obligation into a direct pathway to permanent employment for young graduates.
Speaking at the National Youth Conference organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Mr. Opare Addo said the policy will be implemented under a new initiative called the Graduates in Corporate Support, GRICS, programme.
Under GRICS, private companies that partner with government will be required to sign Memoranda of Understanding, MOUs, committing them to retain a minimum of 60 per cent of national service personnel assigned to their firms.
“The MOUs we are signing with these organisations guarantee that anytime we give you personnel, you employ or retain a minimum of 60 per cent of those given to you,” the Minister stated.
The conference was held on the theme: “Rebuilding Values, Inspiring Patriotism: Empowering the Youth in the Digital Age.”
Shift From Public To Private Sector Postings
Mr. Opare Addo explained that the decision to redirect more service personnel to the private sector was driven by data showing limited absorption capacity in government institutions.
According to him, graduates who complete national service in the public sector often spend *between four and 10 years* searching for permanent employment afterward, due to congestion in government agencies.
In contrast, graduates posted to private sector firms typically secure permanent jobs within one to three years.
“In the coming days, a lot of our service personnel will not be posted to the government sector anymore. We intend to push many more into the private sector where the real jobs exist,” he said.
He noted that repositioning national service in this way will give graduates greater exposure to corporate work environments, industry practices, and job opportunities that align with market demand.
Linking Skills To Jobs
The Minister said GRICS is part of a wider restructuring of government’s youth employment and skills interventions.
He said his Ministry, working with the National Youth Authority, the Youth Employment Agency, YEA, and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, NEIP, is aligning training programmes with actual labour market needs.
The goal, he added, is to move away from interventions that only provide temporary jobs and instead build “clear pathways from training and national service to sustainable jobs.”
Expansion Of Apprenticeship And New Global Opportunities
Mr. Opare Addo also announced an expansion of the National Apprenticeship Programme to target Senior High School graduates who do not proceed to tertiary education.
Citing data that six to seven out of every 10 Free SHS graduates do not enter tertiary institutions, he said the new model will use a community-based master-apprentice approach tailored to regional economic activities.
“This will allow young people to acquire practical skills and establish livelihoods within their communities rather than migrating to Accra and Kumasi in search of employment,” he explained.
On international opportunities, the Minister disclosed that the YEA is managing a new Global Labour Exchange Programme to place skilled Ghanaian youth in countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas facing labour shortages due to ageing populations.
He said the initiative will enable Ghanaian professionals to secure decent jobs abroad while positioning Ghana to respond strategically to global labour demands.
Domestic Care Economy And Private Sector Role
The Minister further announced that the YEA will next year roll out a Domestic Care Economy initiative to create a structured workforce in caregiving, while replacing temporary community protection roles with standardized employment.
He stressed that government alone cannot solve youth unemployment and called for stronger collaboration from the private sector, financial institutions, universities and other stakeholders.
“The success of this new employment strategy will depend on the willingness of private businesses to invest in young people, provide practical work experience, and create opportunities for transition into permanent employment,” he said.
Commitment To Sustainable Youth Jobs
Mr. Opare Addo reiterated government’s commitment to building an employment ecosystem where young people can acquire relevant skills, gain practical experience, secure decent jobs, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
With the 60% retention requirement and the rollout of GRICS, the government says it is betting on the private sector to become the primary engine for absorbing Ghana’s growing number of graduates.
