732,898 youth have benefited from various YEA programmes since 2017 — Labour Minister

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has revealed that a total of 732,898 Ghanaian youth have benefited from various programmes under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) since 2017.

Addressing journalists during a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, August 28, the minister outlined significant strides made by his ministry in promoting job creation and economic opportunities for young Ghanaians.

He noted that in 2024 alone, 116,089 beneficiaries were engaged under various modules of the YEA programme.

"Government continues to reform and position the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) as a facilitator of jobs for the teeming youth. For the year under review, 116,089 beneficiaries were engaged under various modules of the YEA programme. From 2017 to date, a total of 732,898 youth have benefited from various modules of the YEA Programme,” said the Minister.

Core YEA programmes highlighted included community protection assistants, community health workers, waste and sanitation roles, skills training, job center assistance, agriculture jobs, and ICT placements.

“The establishment of the Ghanaian-European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development (GEC) has also enhanced opportunities for the provision of decent employment for job seekers; particularly young persons who have the intention of migrating outside Ghana for jobs or have returned from abroad for a variety of reasons.

”Between 2017 and 2023, job placements undertaken by the GEC, PECs and PEAs totalled 61,419. This comprised of 44,138 males and 17,281 females,” revealed the Minister.