- The President assured continued government backing
- He stressed the critical role of citizen engagement in the electoral process
- The Minister for Labour highlighted that YEA benefits over 100,000 individuals each year
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended the management and board of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) for their substantial contributions to addressing unemployment in Ghana.
During the YEA Beneficiaries Forum held in the Ashanti region, he emphasized the agency’s ongoing initiatives to enhance the appeal and effectiveness of its programs aimed at the youth.
The President assured support from the government for security services in considering the appeals of YEA beneficiaries. He also stressed the significance of the upcoming elections, urging citizens to make informed choices and actively participate in the democratic process.
“The future of Ghana depends on you and your votes,” he encouraged, promoting engagement in the elections and campaigns.
At the forum, which took place at the Bantama Church of Pentecost in Kumasi, the Minister for Labour also praised YEA’s leadership for its remarkable achievements, noting that over 100,000 individuals benefit from the agency each year, positively impacting the livelihoods of 400,000 to 500,000 people over four years.
The Minister highlighted YEA’s expanded role, which now includes training in various trades such as carpentry, masonry, welding, and hairdressing. He urged security agencies to effectively utilize the skills of YEA beneficiaries.
Kofi Agyepong, CEO of YEA, reiterated the agency’s dedication to its beneficiaries by ensuring timely payments and training to boost morale. He shared inspiring success stories of beneficiaries creating job opportunities for themselves and others, noting that there are 8,496 beneficiaries in the Ashanti region alone, including community police, health workers, and prison service employees.
YEA is currently supporting 6,011 businesses in the region and providing allowances to service employees. Beneficiaries in the textile sector receive 1,857 Cedis each for 143 businesses, including tailors and seamstresses, while larger garment companies receive over 92,000 Ghana Cedis each.
Agyepong acknowledged challenges with the payment structure of the sanitation model but promised improvements in the future.
