The Youth and Employment Agency (YEA) will employ 400,000 youth starting from 2017, President John Dramani Mahama has revealed.

These young people will assist in the management of Farmers’ Service Centres, which will be set up across the country.

Mr Mahama, addressing supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Pusiga in the Upper East Region, on Tuesday, November 22, said: “I have given them clearance to employ 400,000.”

Fifty of the Farmers’ Service Centres are ready to commence and Mr Mahama added that 10 tractors were ready to be deployed. The centres are to provide farmers with mechanisation support, agricultural extension advice, subsidised fertilisers, micro credit, and operate a buy-back scheme for farmers’ produce.

Meanwhile, Mr Mahama also stated that the stalled Tamne Dam project, which was commissioned in July 2016, will soon commence.

He pleaded with the people that the project had also been delayed due to heavy rains but would begin at the onset of the dry season.

“Now that we are in the dry season, the contractor has moved equipment to the site and work will soon commence on the project,” he explained.

He said the dam, when completed, will cover 1,400 hectares of land to harness year-round farming.