Anyone looking for a job, looking for a career change or with an environmentally conscious business idea was in the right place at the "green edition" of the Ghana Job Fair 2022. The fair brought together job seekers, company founders and companies in Accra, Sunyani, Kumasi and Tamale. For many, the sustainable orientation also played a role. A wide variety of training courses were also offered.

34-year-old Albert took part in a training course dealing with business start-ups. This young Ghanaian is currently unemployed. His dream is to become a successful entrepreneur and he already has a specific concept. Albert wants to open a business that packages drinking water in small bags made from environmentally friendly materials. "I want to do something new by using biodegradable materials to ensure that our environment is not littered with more plastic waste." Albert wants to focus on materials that can be transformed by the action of organisms such as fungi and bacteria, allowing them to be reintroduced into the natural cycle. "At the fair I made contacts with experts and I also found the training to be helpful," Albert explains.

The fair was organised by the Ghana-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GGC) and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Labour Department and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). In Accra alone, about 1,500 people attended the first two days of the fair.

Albert plans to stay in touch with the Ghanaian-German Centre after the job fair. "I'm already looking forward to talking to the GCC team about my business idea," Albert emphasises. Starting his own business should not only mean the end of his own job search: "My business is also intended to employ friends who are looking for work."

Providing jobs and knowledge

One of the 250 or so exhibitors at the fair was a company that is currently expanding one of Ghana's most important road links. "We will not only recruit applicants and candidates, but also impart knowledge to them on how to build in a way that protects the environment," emphasised a company representative. A major player in Ghana's waste management sector was also represented at the job fair. The company provided information on opportunities in the green value chain. Examples include converting waste into organic fertiliser and collecting recyclable materials in exchange for money.

Demand for organic products

Whether large company or small supplier: Matilda also took the green focus of the job fair at its word. The young Ghanaian, who had already been supported by the GCC in the past months to start her own business, sold juices from local and sustainable organic cultivation in environmentally friendly cups. She also took part in a training session. "This taught us how important organic products are," she explains and feels confirmed by the response at the stand: "Again and again I was asked whether the juices had any additives. I guess that means that more Ghanaians are rethinking and prefer organic products."

As of: 10/2022