The announcement was made on Monday, April 7 2025, through a post on the Agency’s official Facebook page.

It follows weeks of preparatory meetings between the relevant state institutions and their international partners.

The programme is part of President John Mahama’s campaign promise to offer decent job opportunities abroad for Ghanaian youth.

It is targeted mainly at skilled and semi-skilled workers and seeks to promote lawful and structured labour migration.

A key aspect is the expectation that beneficiaries will return with improved skills and work experience that can contribute to the economy.

Chief Executive Officer of the YEA, Mr Malik Basintale, said the committees will help lay the foundation for a coordinated approach to labour migration.

“This marks the beginning of a deliberate, structured process to offer young Ghanaians decent jobs abroad in a safe and legal manner,” Mr Basintale said.

“It is not just about employment. It’s about preparing a workforce that will return home with skills that contribute meaningfully to national development.”

The Technical and Steering Committees include representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Job Creation, the YEA, the Labour Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the University of Ghana’s Centre for Migration Studies.

They are joined by officials from the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Rashid Pelpuo, who officially launched the committees at the Ministry’s conference room in Accra, explained that the Work Abroad Programme will provide contract, seasonal and permanent job placements in partner countries.

He added that the government has decided to discontinue the migration of domestic workers. This, he said, was necessary to protect vulnerable groups and bring Ghana’s labour migration policy in line with international labour standards.

Dr Pelpuo also said the programme is expected to reduce youth unemployment in Ghana and support the reintegration of migrants upon their return.

The YEA will act as the secretariat for the programme and will coordinate its implementation, oversee recruitment processes, and help identify available job opportunities abroad through state-to-state and institutional arrangements.