…11,788 deployed, over 19,200 jobs targeted as allowances rise 60%
By Prince Ahenkorah
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has announced a series of employment interventions targeting thousands of young Ghanaians, including the deployment of 11,788 Community Police Assistants, plans to recruit 6,000 community teaching assistants and the training of 11,200 beneficiaries under the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion Programme (GWYESCO).
The agency has also increased the monthly allowances of its beneficiaries from GH¢500 to GH¢800, representing a 60 per cent increment, in what it says is an effort to improve their welfare and recognise their contributions to public service.
Chief Executive Officer of the YEA, Malik Basintale, announced the initiatives at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Basintale said the agency had engaged, trained and deployed 11,788 beneficiaries under its Community Police Assistant module as of September 2026.
The programme, which operates under the YEA’s Youth in Community Service and Security module, is designed to provide human resource support to the Ghana Police Service while exposing young people to careers in law enforcement and related fields.
He explained that beneficiaries had undergone professional training and orientation by the Ghana Police Service and received the necessary logistics and skills to support the country’s security operations.
The initiative, he added, provides young people with practical work experience while contributing to public safety.
The YEA has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to recruit and deploy 6,000 young people as community teaching assistants by November 2026.
According to Basintale, the initiative is expected to provide additional teaching support to basic schools, particularly in hard-to-reach communities, while giving beneficiaries valuable classroom experience.
He stressed that the programme was intended to complement the work of existing teachers rather than replace trained teaching professionals.
Basintale further disclosed that the YEA had increased monthly allowances for beneficiaries from GH¢500 to GH¢800, a 60 per cent increase.
He said the adjustment reflected the agency’s commitment to improving the welfare of young people engaged in its employment programmes.
“We believe that the dignity of labour must be reflected, as much as practicable, in the remuneration and welfare of those who work, and we are doing just that!” he said.
He also identified the timely payment of allowances as a priority, assuring beneficiaries that the agency was working to improve the regularity and predictability of payments.
Basintale acknowledged that challenges remained but maintained that beneficiary welfare would continue to be central to the agency’s operations.
The agency is also preparing to train and create employment opportunities for 11,200 beneficiaries under the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion Programme (GWYESCO).
Basintale said approximately US$3.6 million, equivalent to about GH¢44 million, had been earmarked for the YEA under the programme, with support from the African Development Bank.
Preparatory activities have commenced, while beneficiary recruitment is expected to begin in the first week of November 2026.
The programme will cover six specialised areas: briquette production, biodigester construction and installation, hospitality and domestic services under the YEA Care Connect initiative, construction, sustainable transport services and beauty care services.
According to Basintale, the interventions are designed to equip beneficiaries with market-relevant skills while creating opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship and participation in emerging sectors of the economy.
The YEA has also partnered with the Ghana Digital Centre to train 2,000 young people in information and communication technology (ICT) as part of efforts to expand employment opportunities in the digital sector.
The partnership, formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), will enable beneficiaries to participate in various IT-related training programmes and capacity-building initiatives to equip them with skills relevant to the technology industry.
He said the initiative forms part of the YEA’s Youth in ICT model, which seeks to broaden employment pathways for young people by improving access to training and opportunities in the information and communication technology sector.
“Our Youth in ICT model represents the agency’s intended intervention in information and communication technology, an area of growing relevance to employment and economic participation. It remains part of our commitment to diversify the pathways to Ghanaian youth,” he said.
Basintale expressed confidence that the agency would meet its target of enrolling all 2,000 beneficiaries by the end of November 2026.
“I’m happy to report that the YEA has successfully signed an MoU with the Ghana Digital Centre to enroll 2,000 beneficiaries into various IT-related programmes and capacity-building initiatives, and we are hopeful that by the end of November this target will be achieved,” he stated.