President John Mahama’s call to criminalize so-called “sex for a job” is one of the clearest signs yet that Ghana’s leadership is ready to confront a practice that is widely accepted but rarely addressed directly.
The issue came to a head during a town hall in Koforidua on 1 May, when a female student challenged persistent gender inequality in placement. Mahama used this moment to argue that existing norms and policies were inadequate, describing the practice as both exploitative and intolerable.
Mahama said, “One of the worst things, and I think we should pass a bill to make it punishable, is that sometimes if the employer or the person responsible for employment is male, they demand some romantic relationship before they give the job.” “This is unacceptable. It must stop.”
The importance lies not only in the rhetoric but also in the proposed legal response. Ghana already prohibits sexual harassment under its Labor Act and Criminal Code, and has broad protection under the Domestic Violence Act. However, activists say these laws focus on harassment once employment has begun or coercion in a domestic setting. The specific scenario of conditioning access to employment on sexual compliance remains largely in a legal gray area.
Why does the practice of ‘sex for jobs’ persist?
Youth unemployment remains high, competition for public and formal sector jobs is intense, and recruitment processes are often opaque. Activists say that in this environment, employers exercise enormous power over applicants, especially young women.
Victoria Bright, a lawyer and former legal adviser to former Ghanaian President John Kufuor, said, “I am very pleased that the President has taken this stance.” “This is exploitative behavior; it is unacceptable.”
Civil society organizations point to cultural barriers: victims may fear stigma, reputational damage or reprisals, while institutions often lack clear reporting mechanisms. As a result, abuses are widely discussed informally but rarely prosecuted, leading to a strong sense of impunity. Bright said, “When someone in power makes employment a condition of sex, I think that’s a form of corruption, and we can’t tolerate that in a civilized society.”
For Nii Quartey Glover, member of parliament and former deputy transport minister, “the patriarchal influence of men on women has contributed” to the spread of this practice.
What a targeted law might change
A standalone law criminalizing the solicitation of “sex for jobs” would represent a significant expansion of Ghana’s workplace-rights framework. Activists say it would provide a precise legal definition of the crime, distinguishing it from ordinary harassment or bribery. It would also include explicit criminal penalties, elevating the practice from misconduct to a prosecutable abuse of power.
Legal experts argue that this clarity matters. According to Bright, when conduct is clearly named and punished, institutions are more likely to adopt internal security measures, and victims have a stronger foundation for seeking justice.
Mahama has positioned the proposal as part of a broader effort towards gender parity, which includes the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act and an ambitious target of achieving equal representation in public appointments by 2028. International observers have noted that Ghana has often been praised for having gender legislation that is progressive compared to regional counterparts.
According to Bright, symbolic progress does not automatically destroy established power dynamics, especially where recruitment remains discretionary and largely male-dominated. “At the end of the day, I think the test will be how the law is actually structured, because in Ghana we have a lot of beautiful laws, but the whole thing fails at the enforcement stage,” he told Ghana. my happiness Television.
Roland Apfel Monny agrees that the main challenge lies in enforcement. The former president of the Ghana Journalists Association argues that cases of “sex for a job” are extremely difficult to prove. But with new technologies it has become easier to collect evidence. “As far as evidence goes, we can now get gadgets or electronic means of communication,” Monni said.
Role of Parliament and civil society
However, Ghana’s poor record on enforcement prompts skepticism. The country is widely viewed as having strong laws on paper, while the prosecution rate for gender-based crimes is low. Without well-designed standards, whistleblower protections and confidential reporting channels, activists fear that a new crime risks becoming another symbolically important but practically little-used statute.
Nevertheless, the seriousness of the problem has not gone unnoticed: “To the extent that the president of the country is demanding an act be enacted to deal with this issue,” said Kofi Benteh Afful, a member of parliament for Sefwi Wiawso. “I think what that means is that it has become our responsibility to go wherever the president gets his information.”
For Mahama’s proposal to move forward, it must be transformed into a bill and passed by Parliament. This raises key questions: will the legislation opt for a narrow amendment to existing labor and criminal laws, or introduce a comprehensive new statute?
If enacted and meaningfully implemented, the law can change recruitment norms, empower job seekers and reinforce the idea that abuse of power in recruitment is not only unethical but also criminal. As Monni said: “We expect the board of directors [and] The authorities in such workplaces need to activate such ethical laws and deal with the stinking fish.”
Edited by: Benita Van Eysen