Gospel artiste Piesie Esther has advised young Ghanaians to reconsider their decision to travel outside the country if they have a thriving job.

According to her, living abroad is not as luxurious as many perceive it to me.

"If you are in Ghana and you have a good job and can take care of yourself. Please stay. If you want to travel, you can go out and get further education or experience, but make sure you come back and stay in Ghana," she told Nana Romeo on Okay FM on September 15, 2025.

"What I've noticed is that people who have relocated abroad are not having it easy. They can work very hard, make money, but bills and other expenses will make them want to come back.

She noted that while studying or gaining experience abroad has its benefits, the real value lies in coming back to make an impact at home.

According to her, many Ghanaians eventually return because, despite earning and working hard overseas, the high cost of living and constant expenses make life difficult. She further observed that the pressure of working abroad often comes with health-related challenges.

"Many Ghanaians who have gone out there to work even develop body pains and health complications from the stress and hard work. So when they come back, they are so relieved. That's why many people who relocate abroad eventually come back after a while," she said.

She acknowledged the efforts of Ghanaians who move abroad for work, especially in Europe, but explained that her own trips are solely for her music career, after which she always returns home.

Her remarks feed into the broader discussion on brain drain, migration, and the availability of opportunities for young people in Ghana.

Several public figures have also voiced similar concerns, urging young professionals to remain in the country and support its growth.

Do you want me to keep it neutral and factual (news style) or give it a slightly opinionated edge to emphasize the brain drain debate?

A woman advises Africans against traveling abroad without securing accommodation beforehand.

She stresses the importance of thorough planning, highlighting the significant challenges and differences between life abroad and in Africa.

"You are travelling abroad, you don't have where to stay and you are still coming. Whose house do you think you want to come and live in? I know I am the same person that said some Africans are very wicked towards people that travel outside, but I am the same person also saying that prepare your back before you come," the young lady expressed.

She encourages prospective travelers to refrain from burdening those already residing in their destination with their stress.

A retired Ghanaian man who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, has expressed bitterness over going abroad.

The man, identified only as Expensive Joe, remembered that despite being able to use his abilities as a shoemaker and a carpenter to run his own business back in Accra, Germany did not permit him to do so.

"I travelled to Nigeria and Libya and finally settled in Frankfurt in 1991. We normally don't say it, but if I am to speak for myself, I will it is the wasted years of my life. Travelling abroad didn't help me. I was a shoemaker and carpenter back in Ghana. I was my own boss back in Accra.

"But when I came to Germany, I couldn't make use of my skills because the system here is different. I believe if I had been given that chance, I would have made fortunes while I was here," he explained.

Touching on his family, he reiterated that he was also not fortunate with women, as he has suffered 2 divorces - from a German woman who removed her womb, and from a Ghanaian woman he sponsored abroad.

"About family, my first wife, who was a German, told me she had removed her womb so she divorced me after 3 years. After that, I brought a Ghanaian woman here. She came with her 2-year-old child. We had 2 children later together. However, we have been divorced for almost 10 years now," he said.

Even though he is being taken care of by the German government, Expensive Joe advised young Ghanaians to think deeply about travelling overseas for greener pastures.

"Now I am a pensioner, but my first child is 21 years. I am not working at the moment, so I am being taken care of by the government. I will advise young people to really take their time. If you have the money to travel, it would be proper to stay and work in Ghana with that," he advised.

Meanwhile, a Ghana Human Development Report, titled "The Future Value of Work in Ghana," released last year raised alarms about the potential deterioration of the country’s health system if urgent measures are not taken to address the significant outflow of locally trained doctors and nurses.

The report highlights a troubling trend: 24 percent of nurses trained in Ghana are currently employed abroad due to unfavorable working conditions. The situation is even more severe for doctors, with half of the country's trained physicians having left for better opportunities overseas.

Authored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with the Statistical Service and the National Development Planning Commission, the report emphasizes that the Ghanaian health sector is in a precarious state.

It calls for immediate policy and pragmatic interventions to prevent a total collapse of the healthcare system.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana's health system showcased its ability to handle emergencies effectively. However, the sector continues to face significant challenges, including shortages of essential materials such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and a dwindling workforce due to the emigration of qualified health personnel.

The Global Partnership Network's 2024 data underscores the gravity of the situation, estimating that 50 percent of doctors and 24 percent of nurses trained in Ghana are working abroad.

This migration is attributed to poor working conditions for healthcare professionals within the country. The report stresses that without prompt intervention, the already fragile health system could deteriorate further.

To address these issues, the Future of Work report outlines several strategies to make the healthcare system more responsive to the nation's evolving health needs. As the disease burden grows more complex due to factors like environmental issues, changing age structures, and lifestyle shifts, the healthcare system must adapt accordingly.

The report identifies 11 critical areas within Ghana's health policy that require strengthening, including health promotion, palliative care, and rehabilitative care, which have traditionally lagged behind preventive and curative care. It advocates for a greater focus on health promotion, particularly primary healthcare and environmental health, to enhance both direct and indirect impacts on human capital development.

Furthermore, the report suggests adopting a life course approach to health delivery. This approach would address the needs of various population groups, such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and marginalized communities in urban slums, who often cannot fully benefit from existing curative and preventive care services.