{
  "id": 4836615,
  "title": "Maximus Attah writes: Vacancies that never hire",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/maximus-attah-writes-vacancies-that-never-hire",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T10:02:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/maximus-attah-writes-vacancies-that-never-hire/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ghana's job market is plagued by a phenomenon known as \"vacancies that never hire.\" These advertised positions do not aim to hire candidates but rather to fulfill legal requirements and display a facade of fairness. Job seekers frequently encounter advertisements that seem tailored to their skills and experience, yet they receive no response, either through rejection letters or the silence that signals the vacancy was never genuine. In Ghana, public procurement law sometimes allows for job postings that are more of a formality than a genuine recruitment effort. Many advertisements are designed to satisfy legal requirements, with the winning candidate often already selected beforehand. This practice is exemplified by a once prominent Ghanaian bank that continued to post job vacancies even as it faced financial collapse, demonstrating a reliance on connections and cronyism rather than merit. The advertisement itself serves as an alibi, providing institutions with the appearance of compliance with fair hiring practices. In reality, many positions in Ghana are filled through informal means, such as relationships and referrals, rather than through official channels. This system allows employers to avoid the scrutiny of public recruitment processes while still maintaining control over the hiring process. The presence of these fake vacancies is an open secret in Ghana, a topic whispered about in private among job seekers and acknowledged by human resource officers. While employers rarely admit to the practice outright, they often decline to discuss it further. The constant existence of these fake vacancies represents a drain on the country's most valuable resource: the ambition and potential of its young people. The consequences of this system extend beyond the individuals who pursue unattainable job opportunities, affecting the overall economic and social development of the nation.",
  "summary": "Behind the polished job advertisements crowding Ghana's newspapers and news sites lies a quieter, more cynical machine — one that exists not to hire, but to be seen to have tried.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}