The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has brought smiles to 1,000 young men and women who passed out successfully as Prison Office Assistants at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prisons.
This brings the total of Prison Office Assistants recruited this year to 1,500.
At a short parade to pass-out the personnel, the CEO of YEA, Mr Kofi Baah Agyepong, stated, “I am happy to say that together with my dedicated staff, we are really on course to help President Nana Akufo-Addo to realise his vision of reducing unemployment rate drastically in Ghana.
“I employ you to be worthy ambassadors of the YEA as you work with the Ghana Prisons Service to pave way for others to also benefit in the future.
Unemployment remains a major headache for every government around the world. It is for this reason that every one of you must see this as a great opportunity to serve mother Ghana whiles earning a living for yourself. Discipline must be your guiding principle in order to succeed. Be patriotic, selfless and committed to building the Ghana we all aspire to see and live in.”
Mr. Agyepong indicated that as at mid-year 2023, the YEA has recruited 15,000 Community Police Assistants (CPAs), 6,000 Community Health Workers (CHW), 1,500 Prison Office Assistants, 6,000 Insurance Traders with the National Insurance Commission, 4,000 farm workers in the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, 45,000 sanitation workers and thousands of other job opportunities through our Job Centre’s partnerships with the private sector.
He announced that in the next few weeks, YEA will recruit 2,000 young people to be trained in Data and financial technology and immediately deploy them to financial institutions through its partnership with Bluespace Innovation Hub.
“Our conviction remains that government alone cannot employ every one of us, the private sector will continue to be an indispensable partner in job creation”, he pointed out.
Mr. Agyepong indicated that another set of 5,220 young men and women will be recruited to augment government’s strategic plan to mobilise revenue through property rates.
“We are in discussions with the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority and City Digital Solutions to conclude on a legal framework that will guide the employment relationship. Creating jobs requires a great deal of innovation and we are committed to doing just that”, he noted.
According to Mr. Agyepong, as of June 23, 2023, the YEA did not owe any beneficiary allowance.
“We have also engaged the Ghana Police Service, Prisons Service and the Ghana Health Service to transition the YEA beneficiaries into the mainstream services.
“Whilst the Police and Prisons are in agreement to absorb recruits with vocational and technical skills, the Ghana Health Service will admit the qualified Community Health Workers into various Nursing Schools across the country”, he said.
According to Mr Agyepong, Despite these remarkable achievements, the YEA will not rest on its oars.
“YEA will continue to explore innovative and smart ways to create more sustainable opportunities for the youth of this country and cement their future.
“Young men and women, the government of Ghana, through H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, despite these difficult economic times, still made available resources to facilitate a conducive and successful training for you.
“You couldn’t have been here today if not because of the deliberate desire of the President and the Vice President to get all of you employed. This is why your accommodation, transport, feeding and medical expenses incurred during the training were all free.
“The government through YEA fully paid for them. You cannot therefore disappoint the state.
Mr. chairman, I have good news for our beneficiaries who are passing out today. Hitherto, Prison Office Assistants just like all other traditional modules were paid GHS250 per month. We’ve heard your prayers and upon broader consultations, I am happy to inform you that you will be receiving GHS500 per month. That is a whopping 100% increment.
“I can assure you that we’ve a listening President and as our economy rebounds steadily, we will strive to make you smile more,” Mr. Agyepong stated.
