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Opposition legislator, Alhassan Suhuyini has poured cold water on the government’s yet to be launched Nations Builders Corps, describing it as a cosmetic approach to solving unemployment.

Mr. Suhuyini believes the Akufo-Addo led government should channel the country’s resources elsewhere instead of using these resources for an “extended national service”.

Expressing his thoughts on the Nations Builders Corps (NABCO) programme, the Tamale North Member of Parliament said the programme is just an extended National Service and the government can do better.

“…in fact it is extended national service because you have a graduate who has finished his service and then you ask him to enroll on this programme and do another service…” he told Joy News on Monday.

The Nations Builders Corps is a programme expected to be launched by the President on May 1 as part of a scheme to equip the youth with opportunity and skills.

Some 100,000 graduates are expected to be enrolled onto the programme. There are seven modules that participants will be enrolled onto ranging from revenue sector, health sector, and education sector among others.

The participants are also expected to earn a non-taxable income of GH¢700.

But calling the bluff of this scheme, Mr. Suhuyini said the amount is disproportional to the qualification of the beneficiaries.

“The university certificate is worth more than GH¢700,” he said.

“This is just cosmetic, it is not addressing the unemployment situation that we have because what these people from the university need are actual jobs…,” he added.

Deputy Communications Minister, George Andah, who was also on the show chastised his fellow lawmaker urging him not to presuppose the details of the programme.

Shooting down the argument of his colleague, Mr. Andah added that it is better to engage these 100,000 graduates rather than having them sit idle at home.

“I am sure that all our viewers…will appreciate the fact that to be able to absorb 100,000 graduates and paying them GH¢700 is better than having them sitting at home doing nothing…,” he said.

Mr. Suhuyini maintained that the money being channeled into the NABCO programme could be used to build factories, which aligns with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) campaign promise.

He argued that the NABCO is just a campaign-geared programme and not a progress driven one.

“…so why do you deceive the people of Ghana just to win elections and not to build the nation,” he fumed.