Accra, Sept. 17, GNA - Management of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) has interdicted with immediate effect Mr Abdul-Salam Abdul-Sobut, NYEP Coordinator for Tamale Central, to pave way for investigations on a series of sex and bribery allegations made against him. A statement issued in Accra on Friday and signed by Mr Abuga Pele, NYEP National Coordinator, said: "The management of NYEP has observed with concern a series of allegations levelled against some of the district officers to the effect that they demand money and, in some

instances, sex from prospective beneficiaries on condition of

recruitment." The statement said even though the accusations against Abdul-Sobut

were mere allegations they were a major concern to the NYEP management and there was the need to conduct thorough investigations

and apply the necessary sanctions to bring sanity into the running of the

NYEP programmes. "We wish to state that it is illegal for any officer with NYEP, be it at

the district, regional or national level, to demand money, sex or anything

in kind from any member from the public as condition for recruitment into the programme," the statement added. The NYEP assured the public, particularly the youth, that

management of the Programme and the government were committed to

ensuring that many of the unemployed youth were empowered with the needed skills under the new modules to make them competitive for the

job market. He said no officer within the NYEP would be allowed to engage in

illegal acts that served to undermine the operations and objectives of

Programme.