The number of beneficiaries of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) modules in the Volta Region has increased from 5,253 to 15,154 over the past two years. The Volta Regional Coordinator of the NYEP, Ms Jessie Ekumebu, who made this known, said the significant leap followed the increase in the number of modules under the programme from six to 18 over the same period. Ms Ekumebu was speaking at the launch of the youth-in-road-maintenance module of the NYEP in Ho during the weekend. She said the NYEP had improved over that short period of time, stressing, “By giving it a little space of time, its impact on the youth will improve significantly.” She announced that the government had put in place a special exit package to support beneficiaries after two years of apprenticeship. Currently, she said, every beneficiary was made to contribute GH¢5 per month from his or her monthly allowance to a provident fund for the period of his internship, with the beneficiary being paid a lump sum out of that contribution when he or she exited. A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Baba Jamal, expressed delight at the successful launch of the programme in the region and lauded the collaborative efforts of the Zeera Group in supporting the initiative. The Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph Amenowode, said the road module was a very vital government intervention which the people of the region had been looking forward to fervently and expressed delight that the area was chosen to benefit from that module. The Deputy National Coordinator of the NYEP, Mr. Alhassan Tapsoba, warned that any district or municipal coordinator of the programme who failed to submit details of beneficiaries would be sanctioned. He also urged the beneficiaries to submit their bank accounts and letters of assumption to enable the outfit to effect payment of salaries on time. The Paramount Chief of Dziavi Traditional Area, Togbui Kwaku Ayim IV, said the launch marked a milestone in employment and the opportunity to be employed. The National Coordinator of the Zeera Group, Mr. Mohammed Awal, called for a change in attitude towards the programme. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana