<<Print>>

Management of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in its quest to streamline its operations, has revoked its contract with Zoomlion Ghana Limited under their sanitation module.

According to a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, management disclosed that Zoomlion Ghana Limited has failed to adhere to directives in accordance with the Agency's Act (Act 887) and the Youth Employment Regulations 2016 (LI 2231).

They considered the action by management of the janitorial and environmental sanitation services company, especially with respect to the beneficiaries of the programme, an "affront" and have thus decided to subject the sanitation module to competitive bidding in line with the YEA Act and Legal Instrument.

The Agency revealed that "Zoomlion Ghana Limited furnished the Agency with a total figure of 45,320 as Beneficiaries across the country detailing a regional breakdown. The Agency initiated a nationwide headcount to verify the figures as submitted by Zoomlion Ghana Limited. Out of the 45,320 names, 38,884 turned out for the exercise. In response to the discrepancy in the data, Zoomlion Ghana Limited contended that, Beneficiary apathy and short notice given to Beneficiaries accounted for the discrepancy."

The exercise revealed that, "most of the Beneficiaries were recruited without recourse to the Youth Employment Agency. Therefore, there was no appointment letters issued to these Beneficiaries, a practice we consider unacceptable".

The statement further indicated that "Zoomlion Ghana Limited has till date been unable to furnish the Agency with payment records of Beneficiaries on their payroll. The review established that each Beneficiary is paid GHC 100.00 whiles GHC 400.00 goes to the service provider as management fees. This practice we consider an affront to Beneficiaries on the programme".

YEA says it has subsequently "reviewed the module" and therefore called on "all persons interested in working under the sanitation module are to reapply on a date soon to be communicated. That, management of the sanitation module, will be subjected to competitive bidding in line with the YEA Act and Legal Instrument. That, subsequent arrangements with service providers will pay beneficiaries deservedly".

In a speech delivered on behalf of the Employment and Labour Relations Minister Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah at a press conference to inform the public on the activities of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) regarding the Sanitation Module managed by Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, Justin Kodua Frimpong, CEO of YEA revealed that his outfit conducted a verification exercise between June and September in 2017 to ascertain the "number of beneficiaries under its various modules. Management also commenced organizational restructuring exercise to properly position the Agency as an efficient employment entity. Though there were several challenges, the following were achieved:

"The Agency, in ensuring value for money and protecting the public purse, strengthened our Monitoring and Evaluation outfit. This was done by increasing our Beneficiary monitoring and evaluation officers from 250 to 600. Management also introduced an automated monthly timesheet for beneficiaries to serve as a basis for payment. With these measures in place, the number of Beneficiaries on our monthly payroll reduced from 62,825 to 42,420. Management further instituted the Beneficiary Support Unit to address concerns of Beneficiaries.

“In a bid to tackle youth unemployment, the Agency entered into strategic partnership agreements with some public institutions to find innovative ways of creating jobs. These institutions include the Local Government Services, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Post, Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ministry of Inner-City and Zongo Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Forestry Commission and recently the Minerals Commission. These partnerships are tailored to create an estimated number of 50,000 jobs for the youth of this country. So far, a total of 19,900 jobs have been created".

According to the Agency's year under review, an four (4) key programmes were introduced and implemented.

• 15,000 jobs under the Community Protection Personnel Programme were created in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service to augment the effort of the police service in keeping our communities safe.

• 1,200 Agriculture Extension Assistants were recruited in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to assist farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

• The Agency partnered Ghana Post in recruiting 100 youth under the Graduate Internship Module.

• It is also refreshing to add that, the Ministry of Inner-City and Zongo Development outsourced the recruitment of 3,000 Arabic Instructors to the Agency.

"Management is continuing and expanding the partnership agreement with the 66 Artillery Regiment in the Aquaculture Project in Volta Region. This project will boost fish farming in Ghana with the potential of recruiting an initial 3000 youth. We are also rolling out regional flagship projects across the country which is expected to create extra 5000 jobs in the various regions", the statement further read.

The Management of YEA stated emphatically that the Sanitation Module is one of the key modules central to the health and safety of the country.

They're therefore assuring Ghanaians that they remain committed to President Akufo-Addo's vision to ensure value for money, transparent and accountable governance, maintaining a clean and healthy environment and putting the youth at the centre of development in the nation.