New revelations are emerging in Joy News’ investigations into questionable contracts between the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency, GYEEDA, and private companies. Joy News can report that the reason why beneficiaries of GYEEDA are disadvantaged is that the private companies or service providers virtually dictate the terms of the contracts. We have also uncovered Clement Kofi Humado’s letter, details of which contradicts Zoomlion’s claim that it has nothing to do with how much the Youth in Sanitation Module are paid. In the final series on GYEEDA, Joy News’ Manasseh Azure Awuni looks at the role of GYEEDA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the questionable contracts with service providers. Zoomlion signed a contract with GYEEDA which allows it to charge a management fee of GH¢ 400 and pay beneficiaries GH¢ 100 but the company has explained it has nothing to do with how much beneficiaries are paid. The company’s claim was buttressed by its lawyer, Kwame Gyan who addressed a news conference in Accra recently. But Joy News found out that Zoomlion proposed the current monthly allowance of GH¢100, which was subsequently approved by then Minister for Youth and Sports, Clement Kofi Humado. This is contained in a letter signed by the minister. The letter which was addressed to the then Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo reviewing payments to Zoomlion and beneficiaries reads in part: “I attach herewith a letter dated 11th May 2011 and its enclosure from the Managing Director, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, on the above subject matter. “The letter is proposing an increase in the management fee of the company for the management of the Waste and Sanitation Module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYE) from Three Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢300) to Four Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GH¢450) and a review of the monthly allowance of the beneficiaries from Fifty Ghana Cedis each to One Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢100).” Officials of GYEEDA say until Joy New expose, they did not know details of the contract between GREEDA and Zoomlion. Joy News has also found out some GYEEDA officials, opposed some of the contracts which now rob the nation of millions of Ghana cedis every month. Here is Abuga Pele on GYEEDA’s management contract with Better Ghana Management Service. Mr. Abuga Pele, the immediate past National Coordinator of GYEEDA, was not the only official of GYEEDA who spoke against the Better Ghana Management Service contract. On December 21st 2011, management of GYEEDA also opposed the contract. Minutes of that meeting seen by Joy News indicate fierce opposition to the contract. Murtala Mohammed, MP for Savelegu Nantom and Deputy Minister of Information and Media Relations was one of them. He was the Deputy National Coordinator in charge of communications at GYEEDA and these are his exact words as captured in the minutes: “Are we outsourcing our module to Zoomlion? I will personally not accept this decision and I’m going public to oppose it. Are we saying we lack competence to manage this programe? And what is the guarantee that Better Ghana Management Service (BGMSL) can handle the programme better than us? I want it to be on record that I, Mutala Mohammed, vehemently oppose this decision and I am prepared to debate it everywhere.” Other members of the management team kicked against the contract. One team member, Agongo Atule, said apart from irregular payments of beneficiaries already managed by Zoomlion, the name Better Ghana Management Service sounded too political. Joy News also found out apart from proposals to run modules, the private companies write the contract for the Ministry of Youth and Sports or GYEEDA to sign. Abuga Pele confirmed this when I asked him how he thought GYEEDA could be made beneficial to the workers instead of the private companies. It is still not clear what motivated Mr. Humado, to sign some of the contracts against widespread protests from officials of GYEEDA. Joy News has made several efforts to speak to him but he has declined to comment. But that is not the end of the GYEEDA story. Play the attached audio for the full report