Audio By Carbonatix
Member of Parliament for Sekondi Papa Owusu Ankomah says the new Youth Employment Agency Bill passed by Parliament and awaiting presidential assent is nothing but a vehicle to "rape" the country's limited resources.
The new Youth Employment Agency replaces the wanton Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) which was pregnant with corruption and misappropriation of funds.
Even before the new Bill will be assented into Law, Papa Owusu Ankamah told Joy News' Parliamentary Correspondent, Elton John Brobbey the new bill is just a means to legitimise another bout of corruption in government.
He said the agency will be stashed with cash and doled out to party favourites just like it was done under GYEEDA.
The Sekondi MP said given the experiences the country has gone through with GYEEDA, it was imprudent for Government to have rushed through with a new Youth Employment bill.
According to him, Government cannot allocate funds to the Ministry without any specific properly budgeted programme and wondered why it would do that under this new youth employment agency.
However Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Haruna Iddrisu told Elton John Brobbey the new Bill will provide a new lease of life to youth unemployment in the country.
According to him, over 45,000 to 100,000 youth will be provided with job opportunities under the new programme.
30,000 will be employed under a new sanitation module.
He said 100 million cedis has been made available under the Communication tax to fund part of the activities of the agency.
Addressing issues about the fallout of GYEEDA, the Minister said every expenditure under this new agency will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.
He added that the new law provides a perfect legal framework to supervise the administration of this new programme.
He also mentioned that no youth employment beneficiary will be paid below the country's minimum wage, adding that recruitment will be done purely on merits and MPs from other political parties will be given the opportunity to suggest potential beneficiaries.
Latest Stories
-
IMF describes Ghana’s ECF programme as broadly satisfactorily
1 minute -
Christians urged to embrace spiritual authority, become agents of transformation in society
8 minutes -
Fuel price hikes driven by international trends, not OMC margins — COMAC
12 minutes -
NPP can’t be equated to the NDC in any way – Eric Adjei
18 minutes -
IMF Board completes 6th and final review of ECF programme, describes PCI as anchor to reform agenda
22 minutes -
Cracker Barrel chief executive steps down a year after rebrand chaos
24 minutes -
Trump defends tariffs in hard-hit Michigan as Canada tax hike looms
32 minutes -
Reasonable Ghanaians approve of Ato Forson’s management of economy – NEIP CEO
1 hour -
Calls for justice over Ghanaians’ deaths in South Africa consistent with international diplomacy – Antwi-Danso
1 hour -
Farmerline, others support farmers in Weta and Avalavi following flood devastations
2 hours -
Yara Ghana introduces two crop-Specific fertiliser solutions to improve farmers’ yields
2 hours -
Asiedu Nketia’s lead fuelled by NPP support; Ato Forson holds edge among floating voters — Mussa Dankwah
2 hours -
Chief of Staff urges lifelong learning after earning doctorate
2 hours -
First-time contenders Enyan Denkyira SHTS snatches final Central region ticket to qualify for nationals
2 hours -
Cape Verde’s Lopes Cabral’s goal wins Goal of the Tournament at 2026 World Cup
2 hours