Centre for Policy Research proposes decentralisation of GYEEDA

Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a non-profit research agency is proposing a decentralisation of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) as a measure against corruption.

Their recommendation follows Joy News' exposé detailing alleged systematic corruption at the Agency.

Research Analyst and Policy Advisor at the Centre, Charles Chess, says the idea behind the programme is “worthwhile” and hence must not be discontinued.

Mr Chess said CPR's attention was drawn to the issue following “recent calls by some analysts for [GYEEDA] to be scrapped entirely”.

He said instead of scrapping it, CPR thinks issues concerning its management and core objectives can be looked at again to make it a better initiative for the future.

IMANI Ghana's Vice President, Kofi Bentil, suggested a total scrapping of the GYEEDA initiative in an earlier interview with Joy News.

But CPR believes “the alarming rate of youth unemployment would even further be heightened if we have real statistical figures”.

Mr Chess mentioned that modules of the GYEEDA initiative should not be left at the agency level. According to him, institutions of higher learning in the country can also take up the task of training beneficiaries in managerial and entrepreneurship skills.

According to him, the key challenges facing a particular community may be different from those of another community, and hence there is the need to streamline modules to train beneficiaries in different skills and competencies.

Charles Chess believes government needs to assess the challenges bedeviling the programme and ensure it is strengthened to serve the youth appropriately.

Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Analyses (CEPA), Dr Joe Abbey, also disagrees with suggestions to scrap the GYEEDA initiative citing increasing youth unemployment as a frustrating situation that could turn “bad”.