The National Youth Authority (NYA) has assured that the promise made by the government to re-assign persons who lost their jobs as toll collectors would be closely monitored.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pius Enam Hadzide, who gave the assurance, a desk has been opened at the authority’s office to, among other things, track that development.
The CEO was responding to a question about what steps the NYA had taken to ensure that those who lost their jobs got another job, as the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta promised.
In his response, Mr. Hadzide acknowledged that the toll booths were largely manned by the youth.
With that backdrop, “Let me assure you that our understanding is that there is a firm commitment that no employee who was working at the erstwhile tollbooths will be re-assigned to other areas.
“It will be one of the first points of tracking for us at the NYA. Because we do agree with that largely, many of the workers in the toll booths are young people…,” he stated.
YouStart Initiative
The CEO, while addressing the media on the implications of the 2022 budget for the development of the youth, said the YouStart Initiative proposed by the government will create employment opportunities for 1 million young people in the next 3 years.
He listed the opportunities that youth-led businesses would access under the initiative, which includes district-level loans of up to GH¢ 10,000 after beneficiaries have completed between 2-3 months of training.
Funding
On funding the initiative, the CEO said the government of Ghana would contribute GH¢ 1 billion each year, while development partners and financial institutions would give GH¢ 2 billion.
He added that the initiative will further benefit from a GH¢ 5 billion commitment package from local banks to expand Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Job Creation
According to the NYA boss, the various initiatives of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) benefited some 82,869 young people, with the agency’s “Job Centre” further facilitating the linkage of 1,185 jobseekers with their employers.
He added that in 2022, the beneficiaries of the YEA modules would be increased to 106,000.
He said that the cooperative institutions of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations further facilitated the formation of 2,133 cooperatives and trained some 5,320 farmers and 120 artisans.
In 2022, he remarked that the cooperative institutions would form an additional 1,000 cooperatives.
Youth & Women Policy
Mr. Hadzide wantsthe yet to be established Ghana bank, the Development Bank of Ghana, to develop a specific Youth and Women Policy to provide a framework.
The NYA demands this for the bank’s targeted support of these demographics, especially as the government of Ghana has done its part in the establishment and financing of the bank.
“The NYA stands ready to assist the bank to facilitate the development of the youth and women’s policy,” he added.
Skills Development Programmes
The NYA says it will further implement its key programmes in 2022. In addition, 10 Youth Resource Centres (YRCs) being constructed by the NYA to support and promote the youth by providing access to trainings, tools and state-of-the art facilities are in later stages of Phase I.
The CEO indicated that in 2022, the NYA will complete Phase I of the YRCs and begin construction on nine additional YRCs for the six newly created regions and in some selected communities.
E-Levy
The CEO of the NYA, touching on the controversial Electronic Levy (E-Levy), said it appeals to the citizens’ sense of patriotism, integrity and fairness.
He continued that the 1.75% levy charged on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances would provide an avenue for all to participate in nation building.
He further explained that provision has further been made to protect the most vulnerable by exempting all transactions that add up to GH¢100 per day.
The proceeds of the levy, he observed, would be used amongst others, to fund the many programmes for employment.
He said that, “Our assurance that these programmes will be implemented in a fair, transparent and effective manner is rooted in the fact that Compact Frameworks that tie the release of resources to the results of implementing agencies have been adopted by the Ministry of Finance and continue to be signed with various implementation agencies.
“Furthermore, the National Youth Authority has set-up a desk, headed by the Chief Executive Officer, to track the implementation of these programmes.”
