Irregularities In The Selection Process Of Youth Enterprise Support Fund Beneficiaries:Call For Probe And Measures To Forestall Similar Incidents

The Youth Enterprise support Initiative is indeed,one of the laudable youth development interventions of Ghana.The rationale behind the adoption of the programme, as is the case with most laws, policies and programmes of the nation, is very impressive.

It is for this reason that many youth development organisations in the country welcomed the intervention and expressed profound hope that it will bring much relief to young Ghanaians with great business ideas and initiatives.

The President of the Republic,His Excellecncy John Dramani Mahama in fulfilment of his words presented cheques with various amounts of money to such youth so that they can start their own business, and also employ other young people in order to reduce the high level of unemployment among the youth of Ghana presently.

This notwithstanding, complaints coming from most young Ghanaians speak of unfair tactics “Mafia tactics”by some officers who were in charge of the selection process ostensibly to ensure that people who are not their favourites are eliminated from the list of beneficiaries.

The most popular of such complaints is that the officers intentionally used telephones with no caller identity and therefore, no means of calling back,in contacting people who were shortlisted as beneficiaries of the fund based on the laudable business plans they presented.

These young people therefore strongly believe that they qualified for the opportunity but the supposed officers deliberately use an unreliable communication system in order to create an excuse that will justify their replacement with favourites of the officers.

While this may sound as a mere allegation coming from young people who apparently are trying to do away with their disappointment and bitterness about unsuccessful bid for a glaring opportunity,the Foundation for Youth,Peace and Development(FYPD) wish to call on the relevant institutions to look into such matters and come out with measures that will curb similar practices, if the allegations turn out to be true.

This,the FYPD believes,is a sure way of disabusing the mind of the public on the knowledge and collusion of heads of institutions in such matters and renew their confidence in Government policies and programmes.

Joseph Tetteh
(Executive Director,FYPD)
+233(0)244571090
e-mail:[email protected]