Kumasi Nov. 21, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), has so far registered more than 62,450 unemployed youth out of which 13,765 have gained employment. The beneficiary youth were employed in agro-business, trade and vacation, paid internship and industrial attachment, community health sector, education and waste and sanitation all modules of the NYEP. Mr. Oduro Kwarteng, NYEP Deputy National Co-ordinator in charge of Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Regions, said these at a durbar in Kumasi on Wednesday, as part of activities marking NYEP's two year's anniversary celebrations.

He said, the programme has reduced unemployment rate and empowered the beneficiaries to lead decent lives.

Mr. Kwarteng said the nature of recruitment and registration of the unemployed youth was non-partisan and debunked the perception by some people that only some youth who belonged to a particular political party were registered.

Mr. Kwabena Amofa Sarpong, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of NYEP, noted that unemployment has become a national security risk and that the NYEP would mobilize the youth for productive ventures.

He gave the assurance that the NYEP beneficiaries would continue to offer valuable services to the nation and commended Zoomlion Waste and Sanitation Assistants for helping to improve sanitation to reduce the outbreak of epidemics.

Dr. Mohammed Abdul Karim, a lecturer at the Kwame University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate for Asawase Constituency, advised NYEP beneficiaries to lead decent lives and to work hard to justify the establishment of the programme. The occasion was preceded by a street float.