I wanted to join the military but I was asked for sex – Ghanaian lady shares why she ended up a teacher

A young Ghanaian woman, Agnes Yeboah, has opened up about the painful reason she gave up on her dream of becoming a military officer and instead became a teacher—not because she loved the profession, but because she wanted job security.

Speaking in an interview on Oyerepa TV’s Breakfast Time, Agnes recounted the emotional and financial struggles she went through after completing Senior High School (SHS) when she tried to join the Ghana Armed Forces.

She said she had always aspired to be in the military, but her hope was dashed when a man who promised to help her demanded money and tried to take advantage of her sexually.

“All my life, I wanted to be a military officer, but when I completed SHS and tried to join, the man who promised to help me asked me to pay a huge amount of money. Aside from that, he wanted to have an affair with me,” Agnes said.

Faced with the painful reality of being exploited, she made the difficult choice to pursue a different path. She decided to enrol in a teacher training college, not because she was passionate about teaching, but because she believed the government would automatically post her after training, which meant a secure job.

“I thought about it and realised that if I went to teacher training college, the government would post me and I’d get a job. So I didn’t go there because I have a passion for teaching — I went because of job security,” she explained.

Now a trained teacher, Agnes says she is still struggling with life. Although she has tried to find alternative ways to improve her situation, including starting a small business, the system continues to fail her.

She started making and selling “nkate cake” — a local snack made from roasted groundnuts and caramelised sugar — but says she has been unable to grow the business due to a lack of capital and government support.

“Last year, I went to one of the government agencies for financial support to expand my business, but they told me point-blank that they couldn’t help me. No reason. Nothing,” she revealed.

She said her dream now is to leave the country in search of better opportunities. According to Agnes, doing business in Ghana is full of challenges, especially when it comes to access to funding and creating a good market.

“Getting capital to sponsor your business in Ghana is a problem. Creating the market is another problem. So sometimes, you just look at the best option available,” she said.

Agnes’ story reflects the frustrations of many young Ghanaians who are unable to pursue their dreams due to corruption, exploitation, or lack of opportunity. While she has found a way to survive, her account highlights the growing sense of hopelessness among the youth, many of whom feel forced to settle for less than they deserve or consider leaving the country altogether in search of a better life.