Accra, March 30, GNA - Government has increased the

NYEP share of the talk time tax from 20 to 60 percent as part

of its efforts to establish a firm source of funding for the

operations of youth employment programmes in the country. The increase, which takes effect from April 1, would give

the NYEP a regular monthly amount of about GHc 4.5 million,

Mr Abuga Pele, National Coordinator of the NYEP told the

boost to the youth programmes of the NYEP, an indication

that the government had lived up to its promise to revamp and

make the programme sustainable. He said though the money accrued from the tax might not

be adequate for the entire operations of NYEP programmes in

the country, it was a good beginning and that other sources of

funding would still be explored to support the programme. He said the delays in payment of allowances to beneficiaries

would now be improved saying, 93Government must be highly

commended for such a bold step to support funding of youth

programmes". "This is an example worth emulating in the sub- region to

avert social instability, which is partly caused by lack of

employment", he said and appealed to other funding agency to

release funds regularly to support the programme. Mr Pele appealed to other funding agencies to release their

budgetary allocation to the NYEP to enhance operation and

alleviate the plight of beneficiaries who are contributing their

quota to nation building. It would be recalled that the presidency directed the

Ministry of Roads and Highway, the GETFund and the

National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to release their

10% budgetary allocations to the NYEP 93Without any further

delay", to help remove bottlenecks in NYEP operations and

place it on a sound footing to support the government's

"Better Ghana Agenda". Currently the NYEP has engaged some 100,000 youths

under its various modules. The World Bank under its youth

enterprise project is supporting with $65 million to help train

the youth in entrepreneurial skills to enable them set up their

own businesses.