Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) has launched its recruitment drive for 2009/2010 to create productive employment opportunities in all sectors of the economy. It plans to recruit 44,000 youth by December and 100,000 in 2010. In addition, the Youth in Agriculture module is expected to recruit 50,000 youth by December and 150,000 in 2010. There has been an increase in the recruitment compared to the 108,000 youth recruited under the programme between 2006 and 2008. This is part of the implementation of the recommendation made by the sector ministry to make the programme more sustainable and effective to cater for many unemployed youth.

As part of the recommendations, the NYEP is to be restructured to ensure effective monitoring and recruitment.

It also proposes mandatory two-year tenure so that many youth could be recruited, as well as a head count to rid the payroll of 'ghost names'. The recommendation emphasised the need for trades and vocation as well as technical modules to reduce the burden on government payroll. Mr Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of Youth and Sports who launched the programme said government was committed to the creation of a strong economy that would engage the broader majority of the citizens to accelerate development and economic growth to ensure the availability of meaningful jobs for all.

He said government acknowledged the importance of the NYEP as a key element in the overall strategy of developing the human capital critical to managing various aspects of national development. Mr Pelpuo said the programme's capacity for creating productive and gainful employment for the youth, as well as providing on-the-job training, had necessitated a review to adopt recommendations that would ensure its continuity and sustainability.

He said measures had been initiated to cover the existence of the NYEP by an Act of Parliament; while a board of directors was being instituted to manage the programme.

This new arrangement is to ensure the continuous flow of adequate funds for easy expansion and implementation of planned activities, as well as curtail the irregular and late release of funds by statutory funding sources and the MDA's.

Mr Pelpuo noted that another critical area to the sustainability of the programme is the effective and comprehensive exit strategy that now afford beneficiaries the chance of joining mainstream employment avenues. He explained that the two-year temporary employment was to equip the unemployed youth with needed career direction, skills, and relevant working experience to enable them fit into mainstream occupation. Mr Pelpuo called on sector ministries and departmental heads to endeavour to absorb the beneficiaries in their establishments when recruiting labour. Beneficiaries of the NYEP could be recruited under the Youth in Security Services, Community Education Teaching Assistants; Youth in Agri-Business; Youth in ICT; Youth in paid Internship and Vacation Jobs; Youth in Afforestation; and Youth in Trades and Vocation modules.