Ghanaian nurses and teachers to work in Jamaica under new agreement

Ghanaian nurses and teachers will begin to have the opportunity to gain employment in Jamaica, after a new agreement between the government of Ghana and Jamaica.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, disclosed the arrangement after holding bilateral discussions with Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaican Foreign Minister, in the course of the current Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) summit in Brussels. As per a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday [May 24, 2025], Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described the meeting as “hugely successful.” In his view, Jamaica has agreed to receive qualified nurses and teachers from Ghana under what he described as a “unique bilateral relationship.”

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa  said “This new arrangement creates real opportunities for our professionals who are ready to work abroad.”  The agreement forms part of a broader strategy to foster closer relations between Ghana and Jamaica. The two countries are expected to maintain regular high-level consultations and engage in collaborative trade ventures, education, agriculture, tourism, culture and sports. He indicated that for many professionals Ghanaian nurses and teachers who have struggled to find work locally due to limited job openings in the public sector and budgetary constraints, the deal brings much-needed optimism.

In recent years, Ghana has trained more nurses and teachers than the government can employ, causing joblessness among a lot of qualified individuals and seeking opportunities abroad. The arrangement with Jamaica serves as an alternative destination, with the potential for better pay and working conditions compared to what is currently available in Ghana.

Mr Ablakwa drew to attention that the two countries were also looking into opportunities in trade and agribusiness. This  could help Ghanaian farmers and exporters find new markets in the Caribbean. Tourism cooperation may also attract a larger visitors and generate revenue for both countries. Cultural and sports exchanges are expected to give Ghanaian creatives and athletes more channels to promote their work and build relationships with Caribbean counterparts.

Mr Ablakwa highlighted historical ties channels to promote their work between Ghana and Jamaica, describing the partnership as a step towards. deepening centuries-old ties. He stated that “Ghana and Jamaica are set to expand the frontiers of our inseparable historical relations.” Jamaica, like much of the Caribbean, and it’s deeply connected to West Africa through the slave trade across the Atlantic, with many Jamaicans researching their ancestral roots to what is today Ghana.

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