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Wrong recruitment a danger to the Ghanaian society
Agatha is a beautiful young lady who had a dream of becoming a Medical Doctor. However, things became financially difficult for her due to the passing away of her Dad at Senior High School (SHS) 2 since there was no Free SHS Policy in place at the time.
In her final year, she realised that her dream of going to pursue medicine at the university had to be modified.
She decided to pursue nursing after SHS contrary to her original plan since there was policy of payment of allowance, which would greatly help her to overcome her financial challenges, which involved supporting her mom to assist her younger siblings who were in SHS.
Agatha qualified as a nurse and was employed by the Ghana Health Service and posted to one of the hospitals in the country. Although qualified as a nurse, her passion for the job was not strong enough and, therefore, her attitude in providing care left much to be desired.
There are a lot of Agathas’ in our health facilities. An effective recruitment programme into the nursing fraternity would have easily identified that Agatha was not cut out for the job.
Joe was a SHS leaver but his character was nothing to write home about at school and at home. Everybody in the community knew that he was a wee smoker.
He was involved in a lot of disciplinary issues at school but because his uncle was an influential politician, he managed to intervene on the several instances that Joe fell foul of the school regulations.
Within a year after leaving school, he was drafted into the police service without any proper background check. Joe went through the recruits training and some months later he passed out as full-fledged policeman whose moral upbringing was not cut out for the work he found himself in.
Joe is now officially clothed with the authority to use “reasonable” force where necessary and are you surprised when a journalist gets brutalised for taking a picture of a policeman who is apparently breaking the law? Are you surprised when hard drugs kept in police custody suddenly turns into a harmless substance? Are you surprised when armed robbers are arrested and some of them are identified as policemen? There are Joes’ in the security forces.
When we were growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, teachers were the embodiment of discipline. They were our role models and commanded such a huge respect in both the schools and among the general public. They were at the top of the list of opinion leaders and seldom would you hear of a teacher involved in some scandal.
What is happening now in the educational sector concerning teachers, has tarnished the enviable reputation they used to enjoy during our days. It has been scandal upon scandal. A case was reported recently, of a teacher who had impregnated a Junior High School (JHS) student at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region and an attempt to abort the pregnancy, resulted in the destruction of the womb of the girl.
Again, the reasons behind such behaviours are not hard to find. Some people are now in the teaching field not because they have passion for the teaching profession but largely due to economic pressure.
The stories we hear of that boggles the mind, especially those of us who have been around for a long time in this country, can be attributed to the recruitment systems in place. There is a popular phrase in computer industry known as “gigo” that is garbage in-garbage out.
The outcome of the ineffective recruitment in the various civil and public services is the manifestation of decadent behaviour we are witnessing. As the saying goes, “a leopard can never change its spots”.
The character formed in a person is very difficult to change and this must guide people in authority in fashioning out a policy for recruitment into the various government institutions.
There must be a holistic approach towards the way people are recruited. There has to be a total review of how interviews are conducted for selection into the various institutions.
There should be a psychological review aspect of the process where people are tested or examined to determine their character in terms of morality. There should be a process which applicants must go through for the determination of their real intention, in applying for the job. This would help in determining suitability of applicants so that those who really love the particular profession they are applying for are selected.
It is not only the government institutions that as a society we should worry about. The profession of men in clerical must also engage our attention. It is a fact that the pastors are not employees of government institutions but they play a very vital role in shaping the mindset of people and, therefore, the society.
They serve as a moral compass for the society and their actions must be brought under close scrutiny given the negative reports emanating from their ranks. There is a clamour for their actions to be regulated by the state.
A Moderator of one of the leading religious denominations was on TV last Sunday disagreeing to this call for regulating the activities of pastors but rather calling for pastors to be treated as individuals, and that those who fell foul of the law be dealt with according to the law.
Taking into account the number of incidents involving pastors who are not under any structured religious denomination, it must be of concern to any right thinking member of the society. These one-man church pastors are not accountable to anyone.
They allocate titles to themselves and whether they actually received a call from God or it was just a “flash”, you and I were not there so we cannot tell. A lot of them are what I call ‘spiritual entrepreneurs’; they are in for just money. It is a business enterprise to them and not any desire to win souls for God, so morality is thrown to the dogs.
A national dialogue can be initiated by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Christian Council, The Muslim Council, The Peace Council, The Civil Service, Civil Society Organisations and other relevant stakeholders to fashion out a policy for recruitment into various government organisations and screening of potential pastors and even non-governmental organisations and businesses.
This is one of the surest ways to eliminate or reduce corruption, because if someone pays a bribe to be given a job, it is an investment which he or she would find means to recover. It would also ensure that the right people in terms of real passion for the particular job are recruited. The so called protocol selection must cease, otherwise the inequality in our society would never end.
A first step would be the consideration of the use of IT which would eliminate human interference as much as possible, so that the selection would be done by computers, based on defined selection criteria just like the one for selection into the universities and senior high schools.
The Average Citizen
Walk into any supermarket in Accra, Kumasi, or Tamale today, and you will see the modern Ghanaian diet packaged as ‘progress.’ You will see breakfast cereals with cartoon mascots, fruit drinks that are mostly sugar and colour, and snacks promising energy and happiness in bright fonts.
Even products loaded with salt and unhealthy fats often wear a health halo labeled as fortified or natural, while the real nutritional risk is hidden in tiny print on the back. This is not just a consumer inconvenience; it is a public health blind spot. Ghana is living through a silent surge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
These conditions quietly drain household income and steal productive years. According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, NCDs are now responsible for nearly 45 per cent of all deaths in Ghana.
We cannot build a healthy nation on a food environment designed to confuse people at the point of purchase. Ghana must mandate simple front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL) on high-sugar, high-salt, and high-fat packaged foods because consumers deserve truth at a glance, and industry must be pushed to reformulate.
Why Back-of-Pack Labels Are Not Enough
In theory, consumers can read nutrition panels. In reality, most Ghanaians shop under pressure, limited time, rising prices, and children tugging at their sleeves. The back label is a relic that requires a high cognitive load to interpret—essentially, the seller knows what is inside, but the buyer cannot easily tell.
This ‘information asymmetry’ is not fair. It is not consumer choice when the information needed to choose well is deliberately difficult to find.
Simple warning labels like the black octagons used in the Chilean Model act as a ‘stop-and-think’ nudge. They do not ban products but they simply tell the truth so people can decide.
Reshaping Our Food Environment
A generation ago, Ghana’s meals were mostly home-prepared, like kenkey and banku with soups and stews. Today, ultra-processed foods have become the norm, especially in urban areas. Children are growing up with sugary drinks and salty snacks as everyday items, not occasional treats.
If Ghana is serious about prevention, we must act where decisions are made—thus, the shelf. Warning labels protect parents from sugar traps and pressure the market to improve. When warning labels are mandatory, manufacturers start to compete to make healthier recipes to avoid the stigma of the label.
Addressing the Pushback
Industry will argue that labels create fear or that education alone is enough. However, health education is slow; labels work immediately. While the informal street food sector is a challenge, regulating pre-packaged goods is the practical starting point because the supply chain is traceable. We cannot wait until the whole system is perfect; we must start where action is feasible.
A 2026 Implementation Roadmap for Ghana
To move from talk to action, Ghana needs this 5-step plan:
- Issue mandatory regulation: The Ministry of Health, Food and Drug Authority (FDA), and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) must define the label format and nutrient thresholds for all pre-packaged foods.
- Simple, bold symbols: Use plain language and clear symbols, such as “HIGH IN SUGAR,” designed for busy families, not experts.
- Transparent thresholds: Adopt technically defensible standards adapted to the Ghanaian diet.
- Transition and enforce: Provide a 12–18 month period for manufacturers to reformulate, followed by firm enforcement at ports and retail centers.
- National literacy campaign: The Ghana Health Service must pair labels with public messages explaining why high salt or sugar increases disease risk.
Conclusion: Truth Is Not a Luxury
Prevention is cheaper than treatment. A warning label costs little compared to the price of dialysis, stroke rehabilitation, or lifelong diabetes complications. A black octagon on a box of biscuits is more than a label; it is a shield for the health of all Ghanaians. It is time to put the truth where we can see it, right on the front.
By Abigail Amoah Sarfo
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Natives of the Kenkey Kingdom were mad with joy. They were still recovering from the hangover of the kingdom’s loss of the African Cup when their spirits were rekindled. Their great warrior, Zoom Zoom, stormed Melbourne and made sure that every Australian refused food. And that was after he had drawn contour lines on the face of their idol, Jeff Fenech.
Not only did the terrible warrior transform Old Boy Jeff’s face into a contour map useful for geography lessons, but he also accomplished the feat of retaining the much-envied super-kenkeyweight title against all odds. The warrior had not been eating hot kenkey for nothing.
The Fight Against Fenech
When Jeff Fenech bit the dust in the eighth round, I was tempted to consider if Adanko Deka could not have faced him in any twelve-rounder, title or non-title bout. Adanko has improved tremendously, and soon he would be facing Pernell Whitaker.
Sincerely, I was pessimistic about Azumah’s man, who the last time took him through twelve grueling rounds of rough boxing. I expressed my fears to my colleague Christian Abbew, alias Gbonyo, who surprisingly had total confidence that the Australian brawler would fall, predictably in Round Five.
Gbonyo gave reasons for his contention, all of which I counteracted using the age factor. Fact is, I didn’t know that contrary to the laws of nature, Azumah was all the time growing younger.
When Fenech fell briefly in round one, I asked my brother whether it was the same Fenech that fought Azumah in Las Vegas. Sure, it was the same Fenech, all out to beat Azumah before his countrymen.
But the African Professor had no intention of making the Australian a hero. As he spun round the desperate Aussie, dancing and stinging out his jabs, it was not too long before I realized that the end was near.
The Eighth Round Showdown
Two minutes into the eighth round, the African ring-master proved to the whole world that he was a true son of Bukom. He himself was cornered, but like the tough nut he is, he managed to break free before overwhelming the panting Australian with several blows that made him crash headlong.
Moments after, the referee, expressing fatherly sympathy, stopped the fight to prevent an obituary. After the ordeal, Fenech’s fairly handsome face was full of newly constructed hills, valleys, ox-bow lakes—whatever. I noticed that his nose was very tired and had a miniature volcano sitting restlessly on it. Obviously, Jeff’s wife will have to nurse that nose back to its normal shape—but I’d advise her not to use iodine, otherwise her dear husband will wail like a banshee.
Reflections on Boxing
Because Mohammed Ali was the kind of boxer kids liked, many school-going kids often entertained the wish of becoming like him. I remember one day when I told my father I wanted to become a boxer, and he advised me to first complete my education to the highest level. Then, if I decided to become a boxer and was knocked out a couple of times, I’d fall back on my degrees and make a living.
Boxing used to be interesting when bouts were fought more with the mouth and tongue than with gloves. You had to brag well, psychologically belittling your opponent before beating him up physically. Mohammed Ali became a very successful pugilist because he also managed to become a poet. He often blew his horn across America, calling himself the “pretty boxer” and opponents like Joe Frazier “the gorilla.”
Ali made a living fighting hard fists like Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Jerry Quarry, George Foreman, Leon Spinks, and Trevor Berbick. Twice he came back from retirement to fight just for money. It was Larry Holmes who finally pensioned him, and since then the great Ali has never been himself.
The Path Ahead for Azumah
When Azumah nailed Jeff Fenech on the cross and barked almost immediately that he was after the head of Pernell Whitaker, I was happy but concerned. I would have been happier if he had announced his resignation there and then—he would have been more of a hero. Beating Fenech in Australia is more newsworthy than facing Whitaker in the States.
With Whitaker, it might be a little difficult. The “Sweet Pea” is agile, has a crooked body like a snake with diarrhea, and stands awkwardly as a southpaw. He is known for having the fastest pair of fists and the rare ability to dodge punches no matter how close they may be.
Much as I do not doubt that Azumah can take his title, I also don’t want him to retire beaten. I want him to retire as a hero and live a fuller, healthy life.
As Azumah himself said after dishing Fenech, he is now a professor and has something to show for it. Like a true professor, I think it is time he resigned and took up training young talents who could draw inspiration from him and become like him in the future.
Closing Thoughts
I must say that although ageing boxers like Larry Holmes and George Foreman are making a name for themselves, boxing is not like the Civil Service, where you can even change your age and retire at 74. Zoom Zoom has delighted the hearts of the natives, and Sikaman will forever hold him in high esteem—but only when he retires as a hero.
This article was first published on Saturday, March 7, 1992.
