Some 25 laptops procured by government through the National Youth Authority (NYA) to train the youth in digital marketing and entrepreneurship programme, have been stolen by some trainees who took part in an exercise in the Ashanti Region, Mr Emmanuel Asigri, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority has disclosed.

He said the laptops were given to the participants as a training material but they have declined to return them after the programme.

"The report I have is that about 25 laptops from Ashanti Region cannot be accounted for," he said.

The NYA, he said, has declared all those participants who did not return their laptops, as thieves, and will be pursued, arrested and dealt with according to the law.

Mr Asigri said a formal complaint will be made to police for their arrest and prosecution.

"Those of you who, I'm told, you signed bonds to take these laptops and you have not returned them, we will pursue you.

"If you are here or not, we know them, you know yourselves. I have declared to my Director that we must get the police, and I'm going to speak to the Regional Police Commander of the police service to get his men, the CID men to go after anybody who is keeping our laptop because we have declared that you are a thief and we'll treat you as a such," he warned.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 355 participants, who had undergone a three months’ intensive training on digital marketing and entrepreneurship held in Kumasi on Thursday, 17 May 2018, he said he will not accept any plea after the culprits are arrested if the laptops are not voluntarily returned.

Mr Asigri, therefore, warned the participants to return the laptops since the Authority will chase after them from Monday, 21 May 2018.

He said the stolen laptops will automatically reduce the number of trainees that will be taken in the next batch under the digital marketing and entrepreneurship programme in the Ashanti Region.

He recalled that a similar incident happened in the Upper East Region where some participants stole and sold seven laptops. “They were pursued and arrested later,” he stated.