As part of the efforts to deal with youth unemployment, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has put plans in place to recruit 60,000 youth between now and March this year.
According to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the YEA, Alhaji Ibrahim Bashiru, 10,000 of these youth would be trained in artisanship – plumbing, welding, electrical, carpentry, masonry, cosmetics, amongst others.
The remaining 50,000 will be considered under Information Communication Technology (ICT), Businesses Employment Assistance Programme (BEAP) and agriculture.
Alhaji Bashiru disclosed this on Tuesday at a press conference in Bolgatanga.
Touching on the youth in agriculture model, he said if two persons can acquire ten acres of land, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would supply them with free seedlings, fertilizer and equipment.
He added that they would also be given a monthly stipend of GHS500.00 till the end of the farming season.
Alhaji Bashiru also disclosed that after harvesting, 70 per cent of the crops would go to the two individuals while the Ministry of Food and Agriculture uses the remaining 30 per cent to cater for the cost of production.
The Deputy CEO noted that the BEAP was introduced to mitigate the huge unemployment problem the COVID-19 pandemic created as businesses were forced to lay off workers.
Alhaji Bashiru noted that the programme targets all Ghanaian youth who are not engaged in any full/part-time jobs, with a special focus on people living with disabilities and women.
He said to benefit from the programme, the prospective beneficiary should have had a registered business with documents proving that the business has been compliant with all necessary legislations that regulate the operations of businesses in the country.
He said a business should have registered with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and other relevant state institutions.
The Deputy CEO said the YEA Job Centre would administer the programme across its 16 Centers nationwide.
He said the youth who want to register can visit the nearest centre to do so or visit www.yeajobcentre.com for more information.
Bala Ali, ISD