Story by: K.B

It is becoming increasingly clear that the program which is aimed at reducing the UN-employment rate and offer job opportunities to the Ghanaian people have turned into a deadly trap, or better still, an albatross around the necks of the workers.

Workers under the National Youth Employment Program (NYEP) started complaining about their delayed salaries for months yet; nothing concrete have been done by the authorities to ameliorate their plight.

According to the beneficiaries, for twelve months they have not received their salaries. While others complain of their delayed six and seven month’s salaries others grumble for their eight months salaries.

*‘’how can we survive under this condition? They quizzed. Some of us are single parents looking after our kids, we pay rent, we buy water and soap, but as we speak I have stopped wearing underwear’s because there is nothing to live on, than to be at the mercy or grace of friends and family. The workers cried out.*

A 32-yr old lady who looked dejected said, ‘’I look after my ailing mum alone though my work is hand to mouth I do manage, but the past eight months have been hell, and thinking of an option either prostitution or sell iced water, my mum must not die in this condition.’’

The depressed workers alleged that all effort to get information from their superiors have proven futile, neither the National Coordinator nor his deputy have come to address us. ‘’they don’t respect us; they don’t treat us with dignity and respect. It’s a pity.’’

The workers alleged that ‘’in the contractual agreement they were supposed to be paid GHC 120 a month, all they received if they are paid at all is GHC 115.

They said issues have been raised concerning the deduction of the GHC 5 but they relegate our demands to the background because they perhaps see us as third class citizens.

All efforts to get clarification from the National Coordinator and his deputy proved fruitless.

We will follow this story to its logical conclusion. How could this happen to these ‘poor’ people.