The CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) says President Akufo-Addo's government is on course to reduce unemployment as 1000 persons passed out as Prison Office Assistants at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prisons.

This adds up to 1,500 Prison Office Assistants recruited this year.

At a short parade to pass out the personnel, Kofi Baah Agyepong, said, "I am happy to say that together with my dedicated staff, we are really on course to help President Nana Akufo-Addo to realise his vision of reducing the unemployment rate drastically in Ghana."

As of mid-year 2023, he said the Agency has recruited 15,000 Community Police Assistants (CPAs), 6,000 Community Health Workers (CHW), 1,500 Prison Office Assistants, 6,000 Insurance Traders with the National Insurance Commission, 4,000 farm workers in the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, 45,000 sanitation workers and thousands of other job opportunities through our Job Centre’s partnerships with the private sector.

The CEO in his statement also announced that, as of June 23, 2023, the YEA did not owe any beneficiary allowance.

"We have also engaged the Ghana Police Service, Prisons Service and the Ghana Health Service to transition the YEA beneficiaries into the mainstream services.

"Whilst the Police and Prisons are in agreement to absorb recruits with vocational and technical skills, the Ghana Health Service will admit the qualified Community Health Workers into various Nursing Schools across the country", he said.

According to Mr Agyepong, Despite these remarkable achievements, the YEA will not rest on its oars. It will continue to explore innovative and smart ways to create more sustainable opportunities for the youth of this country and cement their future.

Read his full statement below;

YEA Chief Executive Officer's speech passing out of Prison Office Assistants

The Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service or his representative, the Head of the Ankarful Medium Security Prisons, the Head and staff of Ankarful Training School, my hardworking YEA Central Regional Director, Directors, Heads of Units and staff of the Youth Employment Agency, Nana Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen.

Mr Chairman, today marks another remarkable period for the YEA as we witness the passing out of our gallant youth as Prison Office Assistants. Kindly join me in congratulating our beneficiaries for going through an arduous training successfully.

I employ you to be worthy ambassadors of the YEA as you work with the Ghana Prisons Service to pave the way for others to also benefit in the future.

Unemployment remains a major headache for every government around the world. It is for this reason that every one of you must see this as a great opportunity to serve Mother Ghana whiles earning a living for yourself. Discipline must be your guiding principle in order to succeed. Be patriotic, selfless and committed to building Ghana we all aspire to see and live in.

For some reason, a section of society looks down on our prisons as places where condemned persons are kept. Much as it may appear so, we now have an obligation to assist change the narrative to a prison that is reformative and life-changing.

"Today, a modern prison is not just a jail but a place to rehabilitate and reintegrate our brothers and sisters back into society. It is my understanding that this training is tailored to achieve just that and aside from job creation, this is YEA’s contribution to making our prisons better.

Mr Chairman, we pride ourselves today that these 500 newly recruited Prison Office Assistants add up to a total of 71,500 direct and indirect jobs created by the Youth Employment Agency as of mid-year 2023, exceeding our target beyond expectation.

We have so far engaged 15,000 Community Police Assistants, 6,000 Community Health Assistants, 1,500 Prison Office Assistants, 6,000 Insurance workers with the National Insurance Commission, 4,000 jobs in the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, 5,000 training and set-ups with National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), 45,000 sanitation workers and hundreds of jobs through our Job Centre partnerships with companies in the private sector. And I am proud to inform you all, that as of today 23rd June 2023, the YEA owes no beneficiary allowance. We are up to date with all payments to our cherished beneficiaries.

In the next few weeks, YEA will recruit 2,000 young people to be trained in Data and financial technology and immediately deploy them to financial institutions through our partnership with Bluespace Innovation Hub. Our conviction remains that government alone cannot employ every one of us, the private sector will continue to be an indispensable partner in job creation.

Another set of 5,220 young men and women will be recruited to augment government’s strategic plan to mobilise revenue through property rates. We are in discussions with the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority and City Digital Solutions to conclude on a legal framework that will guide the employment relationship. Creating jobs requires a great deal of innovation and we are committed to doing just that.

Young men and women, the government of Ghana, through Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, despite these difficult economic times, still made available resources to facilitate a conducive and successful training for you.

You couldn’t have been here today if not because of the deliberate desire of the President and the Vice President to get all of you employed. This is why your accommodation, transport, feeding and medical expenses incurred during the training were all free. The government through YEA fully paid for them. You cannot, therefore, disappoint the state.

Mr Chairman, I have good news for our beneficiaries who are passing out today. Hitherto, Prison Office Assistants just like all other traditional modules were paid GH¢250 per month. We’ve heard your prayers and upon broader consultations, I am happy to inform you that you will be receiving GH¢500 per month. That is a whopping 100% increment. I can assure you that we have a listening President and as our economy rebounds steadily, we will strive to make you smile more.

For the first time, many of you will be recruited into the mainstream Prison Service for permanent employment. That is the exit strategy we have been desiring for you and we have worked so hard to achieve that.

We have concluded discussions with the service, that all recruits with vocational and technical skills will be absorbed. This is an end to the two-year cycle that provides you with no permanent placement. I am glad you made it and I wish you the very best at your duty posts.

Thank you.