WHY FREE SANITARY PAD DISTRIBUTION IN GHANA MUST EVOLVE

WHY FREE SANITARY PAD DISTRIBUTION IN GHANA MUST EVOLVE

By : Honeybrowne Okaakyire 

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON SUSTAINABILITY, UNEMPLOYMENT, DIGNITY, AND A SMARTER WAY FORWARD

INTRODUCTION: A PROBLEM WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this issue, not just as an observer, but as someone who understands the realities on the ground in Ghana. Every year, we hear about the distribution of free sanitary pads to girls across the country. It is presented as a victory for social intervention, and in many ways, it is.

But the more I reflect on it, the more I realize that something is not right.

We are spending huge sums of money every single year, millions of dollars on a system that does not fully solve the problem it was designed to address. Girls still lack access. Some receive pads, others do not. There is no clear tracking. No clear accountability. No long-term plan.

At the same time, this is what troubles me deeply: thousands of energetic, able, and qualified graduates are sitting at home unemployed.

And yet, the system continues as it is.

This is not just a policy issue. It is a national priority issue. It is about how we choose to allocate resources, and whether we are thinking about the future or just reacting to the present.

THE CURRENT REALITY: GOOD INTENTIONS, MISPLACED PRIORITIES

Let me be clear: the intention behind free sanitary pad distribution is noble.

No girl should miss school because she cannot afford menstrual hygiene products. No child should feel ashamed or limited because of something natural. This initiative is rooted in dignity and equality.

But leadership is not just about good intentions, it is about balanced priorities.

Today, we are witnessing a troubling contradiction:

Millions of dollars are being spent annually on sanitary pad distribution

Meanwhile, graduates trained with public funds and facilities remain unemployed

Classrooms lack teachers

Industries lack skilled workers

Young people are losing hope

And yet, instead of addressing unemployment with urgency, the current system continues to prioritize consumption over production.

I say this with all honesty:

A government cannot claim to be solving social problems while ignoring the economic survival of its youth.

A DIRECT CONCERN: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND POLICY DIRECTION

As I reflect on this deeply, I cannot ignore what is happening under the current administration led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

There is a growing perception, one that many young people quietly share that the urgency of graduate unemployment is being overlooked.

We have:

Teachers without postings

Nurses waiting for employment

Skilled graduates sitting idle

These are not lazy individuals. These are trained, capable, energetic citizens ready to contribute to national development.

Yet, instead of channeling resources into systems that can absorb these graduates, we continue to pour money into a distribution model that:

Does not create jobs

Does not build industries

Does not sustain itself

This is where the real issue lies.

It is not about choosing between sanitary pads and employment, it is about designing a system that achieves both.

THE COST OF THE CURRENT MODEL

Let us break it down clearly:

Annual spending: $30 million

5 years: $150 million

10 years: $300 million

Now pause and think about this:

After spending $300 million, will we have:

A functioning industry? ❌

Sustainable supply? ❌

Jobs created? ❌

The answer is no.

We would simply have repeated the same cycle for 10 years.

That is not development. That is repetition without progress.

A BETTER WAY: LINKING SOCIAL INTERVENTION WITH JOB CREATION

What if we changed the approach?

What if the sanitary pad program became a vehicle for job creation and industrial growth?

This is where my proposal becomes critical.

THE SOLUTION: INVEST IN LOCAL PRODUCTION, CREATE JOBS

Instead of spending endlessly on distribution, we should invest in local sanitary pad production.

Here is why this matters even more now:

1. IT DIRECTLY CREATES JOBS FOR GRADUATES

Imagine:

Engineering graduates managing production lines

Business graduates handling operations and logistics

Marketing graduates managing distribution networks

Teachers involved in monitoring and community education

Suddenly, this program is no longer just about pads but it becomes a national employment strategy.

2. IT ADDRESSES TWO PROBLEMS AT ONCE

With one policy shift, we can:

Provide sanitary pads sustainably

Reduce graduate unemployment

This is what smart governance looks like; solving multiple problems with one structured solution.

THE NUMBERS STILL MAKE SENSE

One production line ≈ $3 million

$30 million → 10 production lines

These can be spread across regions, ensuring:

Local job creation

Efficient distribution

Economic decentralization

STRUCTURED PARTNERSHIP: NOT JUST SPENDING, BUT BUILDING

We need a disciplined system:

Government invests in production lines

Local companies operate them

Contracts ensure a fixed supply of pads for free distribution

Monitoring systems ensure accountability

This way:

Businesses grow

Jobs are created

Girls receive pads consistently

Government spending becomes meaningful

A PHASED TRANSITION: PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC

We do not stop distribution immediately.

Year 1–2

50% → Distribution

50% → Production investment

Year 3–5

Scale production

Reduce imports

Year 5+

Fully local system

Government focuses on regulation and monitoring

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

We must introduce:

Digital tracking systems

School-level reporting

National dashboards

No more guesswork.

No more leakages.

No more uncertainty.

THE BIGGER ISSUE: WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY ARE WE BUILDING?

This is where my concern becomes personal.

Are we building a country that:

Spends without building systems?

Ignores its unemployed youth?

Prioritizes short-term visibility over long-term impact?

Or are we building a country that:

Invests wisely

Creates opportunities

Thinks ahead

Because right now, it feels like we are drifting toward the former.

THE COST OF IGNORING GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT

When graduates remain unemployed:

Skills deteriorate

Frustration increases

Economic productivity declines

Social problems rise

This is not just an economic issue,it is a national risk.

And that is why I find it difficult to accept a system where: millions are spent annually, yet the youth remain idle.

MY FINAL REFLECTION

I believe in social intervention.

I believe in supporting young girls.

I believe in dignity and equal opportunity.

But I also believe that: we must not ignore one problem while trying to solve another.

The current approach to sanitary pad distribution is not sustainable. More importantly, it does not reflect the urgent need to create jobs for our graduates.

We have the resources.

We have the people.

We have the opportunity.

What we need now is direction and bold decision-making.

CONCLUSION: A CALL FOR BALANCED LEADERSHIP

To those in leadership, especially under the current administration:

This is the time to rethink priorities.

Let us:

Invest, not just spend

Build industries, not just distribute products

Create jobs while solving social problems

Because Ghana does not just need policies that look good. 

we need policies that work, last, and transform lives.

And until we begin to align our spending with our long-term needs,

we will continue to move in circles instead of moving forward.

Written by Honeybrowne Okaakyire

A teacher, and a blogger.