The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has rolled out its Business and Employment Assistance Programme (BEAP) with 1,452 businesses, aimed at bolstering Ghana’s economic recovery post-COVID-19.

BEAP, designed to support 10,000 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and startups severely impacted by the pandemic, began with 1,452 businesses.

These businesses constitute the first phase of the BEAP initiative, with more businesses to be added every month.

In its effort to sustain the initiative, BEAP commenced payments to the 1,500 beneficiaries verified under the program.

These individuals have been strategically placed within various sectors such as chop bars, pharmacies, and schools, receiving vital salary support amidst ongoing economic challenges.

The disbursement of payments to the first 1,500 verified BEAP beneficiaries marks a significant milestone in YEA's efforts to alleviate unemployment and support struggling enterprises.

The program, offering GH¢500 per recruited employee with additional employer contributions, aims to mitigate the financial strains faced by businesses highlighted in a recent survey by the Ghana Statistical Service.

BEAP not only provides a lifeline to SMEs but also aims to foster employment opportunities across Ghana, targeting a total of 20,000 beneficiaries as part of its broader initiative.

The YEA remains committed to utilizing sustainable funding from the Communication Service Tax exclusively for job creation and economic empowerment initiatives.

In addition to BEAP, the YEA has been instrumental in various employment and skills training programmes, collaborating closely with state agencies to enhance community services, health care, and vocational training opportunities.

Targeting various establishments such as chop bars, pharmacies, schools, and more, BEAP strives to alleviate the financial burden on these enterprises while bolstering employment opportunities for Ghana’s workforce.

The plan is to support 10,000 companies, facilitating the employment of approximately 20,000 individuals. In 2022/2023, the government of Ghana, through YEA, recruited:

• 15,000 Community Protection Assistants working with the Ghana Police Service.
• 6,000 Community Health Workers working with the Ghana Health Service.
• 1,500 Prison Office Assistants working with the Ghana Prisons Service.
• 4,000 workers on the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme.
• 5,000 Insurance Agents for the National Insurance Commission with base pay.
• 13,000 direct jobs secured through the YEA Job Centre.
• 2,000 dressmaking trainees undergoing apprenticeship training with GHC500 monthly support.
• Over 30,000 entrepreneurs were trained by both the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the Ghana Library Board with support for set-ups.
• 2,000 young people trained by the Accra Digital Centre in Basic and Advanced IT skills.

Currently, YEA is recruiting another 20,000 young people to be trained and set up in 10 different trade areas, including carpentry, masonry, plumbing, hairdressing, beauty care, auto works, general electricals, Plaster of Paris (POP), steel works, welding and fabrication, and painting. All arrangements have been made for training to start next week.

Other YEA initiatives include:

• 45,000 Sanitation Module beneficiaries.
• Financial support to over 500 dressmakers and 40 large garment companies.

YEA's initiatives have impacted various sectors, including community services, health, entrepreneurship, and vocational training, offering a beacon of hope for Ghanaian youth seeking stable employment and entrepreneurial ventures.