The government estimates that over 100,000 Youth Employment Agency (YEA) beneficiaries have positively impacted more than 500,000 individuals in the past four years.
YEA, established to reduce youth unemployment through skills development and support for startups, has recruited youth for roles such as community protection assistants, health workers, and prison office assistants. Additionally, over 30,000 entrepreneurs have been trained with the support of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the Ghana Library Board.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo highlighted these achievements at the maiden YEA Beneficiaries Forum in Kumasi. He praised the agency for its efforts and assured that the government would support beneficiaries’ appeals to join the security services.
“The future of Ghana resides in you and your votes,” he emphasized, encouraging youth participation in the upcoming elections.
Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, commended YEA’s leadership for expanding training into various trades like carpentry and hairdressing. YEA CEO, Kofi Agyepong, shared success stories of beneficiaries creating jobs and mentioned that 8,496 beneficiaries are in the Ashanti Region alone.
Under the textile model, beneficiaries receive GH¢1,857 each for 143 businesses, while large garment companies receive over GH¢92,000 each. Mr. Agyepong acknowledged challenges with the sanitation model’s payment structure but promised improvements. He reiterated YEA’s commitment to integrating beneficiaries into various sectors to combat unemployment and foster economic growth.
