The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is expected to recruit 60,000 youth under various modules of the Agency by the middle of October as part of Government’s efforts of solving the unemployment situation in the country.

Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, who made this known at the swearing-in of a nine-member Governing Board of the Agency, in Accra, on Friday, said providing jobs for the unemployed youth was one of the top priorities of the Government.

He said the issue of youth unemployment had now moved from being a social and economic issue to a security threat, therefore, government would put in place pragmatic policies and programmes to resolve it.

“The issue of youth unemployment has moved from an issue of economic problem to a security threat as it happened in the Arab world, that is why the President thinks that, if there is any issue that government should pay much attention to, it is the issue of youth unemployment,” he emphasised.

Mr Baffour Awuah urged the Board to work as a team and support the Management of the Agency in resolving the unemployment situation because the destiny of the Government was tied to the provision of jobs to the majority of the youth.
Currently statistics from the Ghana Living Standard Survey released by the Ghana Statistical Service indicated that unemployment figures has moved from five to 12 per cent, he said.

Mr Samuel Awuku, the Chairperson of the Board, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed appreciation to the President for the confidence reposed in them and assured that, they would work assiduously to support government’s job creation agenda.

He said the Board would undertake rebranding exercise to give the Agency a new corporate image in view of the corruption tag hanging on the neck of the institution like an albatross and help the Management to deliver on its mandate.

“The priority of the Board is to critically tackle the institutional corruption and rot that has become endemic in the YEA circle.
“As we’re all aware, the challenges associated with youth unemployment and the earnest desire for the unemployed youth to heave a sigh of relief culminated in the resounding victory of the NPP, therefore as an employment Agency, we want to assure all stakeholders that we will complement the efforts of the President in delivering on his job creation agenda,” he assured.

Mr Awuku said it would offer fair job opportunities to all Ghanaian youth irrespective of one’s political affiliation, religious or ethnic background.
The Board comprised Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, the Chief Executive Officer of the YEA, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey, a Deputy Minister of the Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Eugene Narh Korletey, the Chief Labour Office and Mr Victor Donkor, of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

Others are; Mr Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, the Coordinator of the National Youth Authority, Mr James Osei Quarshie, Dr Kwame Amoako Tuffour and Nana Yaa Ansua, Queen mother of Drobo Traditional, were all nominated by the Minister onto the Board.