Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges faced by kayayei, stressing that skills training alone will not be enough to improve their livelihoods.

She made the call when she met representatives of the Kayayei Association on Monday, August 10, 2026, to discuss measures aimed at improving the welfare and economic prospects of head porters across the country.

The delegation was led by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.

The discussions focused on some of the major difficulties confronting kayayei, including exploitation, limited access to vocational training, lack of opportunities to start sustainable businesses and concerns surrounding the welfare of women and children in kayayei communities.

Vice President Opoku-Agyemang said the phenomenon could not be addressed in isolation, arguing that it was closely linked to migration, inequality and broader development challenges.

According to her, a combination of “push” and “pull” factors drives people from their communities to urban centres in search of opportunities.

She said government interventions must therefore go beyond addressing the immediate challenges kayayei face in cities and tackle the conditions in their communities that contribute to their vulnerability.

The Vice President also stressed the need for skills development programmes to be designed around the actual interests and aspirations of the women.

She said training would have limited impact if beneficiaries were not provided with the necessary tools, start-up capital and opportunities to apply the skills they had acquired.

“Skills development” must therefore be linked to practical opportunities that can enable the women to establish sustainable livelihoods and become economically independent, she indicated.

Ms Opoku-Agyemang further highlighted concerns about children living within kayayei communities, insisting that their welfare and protection must form an important part of any long-term strategy.

She called for stronger measures to shield women from exploitation while expanding opportunities for them to improve their economic conditions.

The Vice President commended the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Kayayei Association for maintaining dialogue on the challenges confronting head porters.

She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to pursuing a holistic response to the kayayei situation, combining economic opportunities, social protection and measures to safeguard vulnerable women and children.

She said the ultimate objective should be to create conditions that allow kayayei and other vulnerable groups to build secure livelihoods and realise their full potential.