The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has recruited a total number of two hundred and eighty-two (282) Persons living with disabilities as Disability Desk Officers across it’s 16 Regional offices and the 266 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) nationwide.
The agency on Wednesday (April 3, 2024) organized an orientation and capacity building training for beneficiaries in the five regions of the north in the Tamale metropolis.
The YEA Director of Human Resource, Mr. Fredrick Duodoo in a media interview said the orientation was part of a nationwide exercise for the newly recruited staff.
He asserted the Youth Employment Agency has over the years targeted only the able group to the detriment of these vulnerable persons in the society.
“…So it is time for us to step up to have these people come on board to work in our district offices. They are going to be our agents, and our ambassadors who are going to work as our research and planning officers and propose to us as an agency, new initiatives and modules that we can develop for persons living with disabilities in Ghana” he indicated.
The Human Resource Director revealed that the YEA in collaboration with the Roads and Highway Ministry have recruited the PWDs who lost their jobs as a result of the closure of the tollbooth services in the country.
“It has been a very rigorous onboarding process because we used the normal public service structure in place; we had series of interviews for the applicants and after the interviews those who were shortlisted to work with the agency have been given their appointment letters” he stated.
THE CUSTODIAN has gathered that the beneficiaries are recruited in three categories: those with JHS certificates, Diploma/HND and Degree.
“So, our recruitment we looked at four categories of people. We looked at those with SHS qualifications, those with Diploma qualification, those with HND and those with Degree qualification.”
The HR announced the salary packages for the four categories are: 1,600 cedis for those with SHS qualification, 2,100 cedis for diploma holders, 2,600 cedis for HND holders and the degree holders earning 3,200 with additional 200 cedis monthly allowance for transportation.
Meanwhile, officials of the National Labour Commission (NLC) also took time to educate the newly appointed YEA staff on the Labour Act, (Act 651) 2003 and their responsibilities as public sector workers.
The Head of Public Affairs, Eyram D.K Tottimeh Jr, in an interview highlighted on section 5 of the Labour Act which talks about the employment of Persons with disabilities.
“…And so we have been trying to explain to them the roles they are supposed to play by letting them know as they are being brought on board as public servants it is expected of them to perform their duties by working consciously so that work will thrive.”
He added they are not supposed to be discriminated at the work environment as stipulated in section 3 of the Labour Act on condition of color, creed, ethnicity, political background, economic stature or disability.
