The Nation Builders Are Here

Last week marked the beginning of the maiden NABCO programme, an initiative of the current government as a stop-gap measure to reduce the number of unemployed graduates in the country; it seeks to recruit a hundred thousand graduates from the clutches of unemployment.

I extend my commendations to the government for this good initiative, I am optimistic that it will find job for the hitherto idle hands of our unemployed graduates and raise their standard of living significantly.

There has been vehement opposition to the implementation of the scheme right from its launch on the 1st of May this year, a chunk of this has been coming from the previous ruling party unsurprisingly; this has been the trend in Ghana since democracy gained roots in our soils, criticize whatever the ruling government does to look saintly in the eyes of the populace.

Regardless of the angle you view the implementation of this policy; I wish to draw our minds to what we stand to gain as a nation from NABCO;

Reduction in the number of unemployed graduates
The devil finds job for the idle hands, we looking at 100,000 people getting engaged in the next three years, it might not be long enough but we stand to prevent young people from engaging in social vices, remember humans will go any distance to survive, you will not believe what you can do when you are hard pressed for money; at least NABCO will save some of our young people from these temptations.

Increased standard of living and quality of life
Irrespective of the amount earned, the monthly stipend will improve significantly the standard of living of NABCO personnel within the 3 year tenure and even after depending on how they manage their finances; personnel who had no prior employment will have access to incomes to afford the basic necessities of life, again they can support the livelihoods of other dependents.

Effects on the business community.
The laws of demand stipulates that when income increases, demand for goods and services shoots up in the same direction, all factors remaining the same, the rippling effect of this programme is the prospective boost in sales as a result of the monthly spending of GH¢ 70 million by government for the next 3 years . We looking at approximately GH¢840 million a year and GH¢2.52 billion at the end of the 3 years; personnel will at all cost make purchases and businesses will benefit from this. These figures exclude the administrative cost of the scheme which ultimately will result in further spending from government chest.

For the players in the financial services industry, it is about time they design tailor made products targeted at these personnel, assuming Bank A has the accounts of 5000 of these personnel and at least GH¢300.00 saved monthly, bank A will have a deposit retention of GH¢1.5 million a month from NABCO personnel and translates to GH¢ 18 million a year, all factors being constant. This is possible with a carefully planned and executed strategy.

Potential source of capital for startups
Ghana needs thriving businesses to cater for the employment needs of its people, the various modules under NABCO presents to its personnel the twin advantages of boosting their industrial experience and saving enough money to start a venture at the end of the 3-year term; hypothetically, with a disciplined lifestyle should a personnel save GH¢300.00 a month, we have GH¢ 3,600.00 in a year and GH¢ 10,800.00 at the end of the three years; If NABCO personnel can see things from the long term perspective, they stand the chance to save enough funds to improve their financial base and start a business on their own, GH¢ 700 might look meagre but its potential to turn around fortunes should not be underestimated.

Provision of skilled workforce
MMDAs will have access to well trained personnel to support their operational activities, one of the key challenges bedeviling the MMDAs is the apparent lack of workforce , this challenge is particularly felt in the execution of their yearly outreach plans including revenue mobilization, all factors remaining the constant, this scheme will help beef up the personnel base of our MMDAs.

Conversely, relative to any startup, NABCO as an institution will not be without challenges, it is imperative that the managers of the scheme put in conscious efforts to reduce the challenges to the barest minimum; In organizational management, planning is as important as execution, the idea is good, but poor execution can rob us of the benefits we stand to gain as a nation.

Again, the human resource function of the scheme must ensure that personnel are properly accounted for, I wish our age old nemesis “ghost names” will not find its way into the payroll of NABCO, personnel should to be paid based on actual work done.

It is my desire that personnel are paid on time to prevent untold hardships on them during the month, processes in making funds available from the Ministry of finance to the NABCO secretariat should be expedited to avoid unnecessary delays in payment of allowances; they should not suffer for the frailties in the payment procedures.

Government, I urge, should exercise to the minutest detail proper control over the activities of NABCO from its inception, control in this regard is to ensure that every outcome of the scheme conforms to the reasons (plans) for which it was established; standards that have been set for the scheme should be monitored regularly to minimize deviations from goals and ensure they are achieved in a desired manner.

It bothers my mind however, that we seem to politicize every policy that is introduced in this country, National youth employment programme (NYEP) introduced by the erstwhile Kufuor government now Youth employment agency (YEA) is virtually ineffective, It appears each government comes up with a new scheme which are substantially the same; I believe the current government should have rolled out this policy under the auspices of the YEA , the cost of setting up an office space for NABCO, managerial and administrative costs could have been saved if this scheme was instituted under the already existing YEA.

I seek to remind our leaders that the 100,000 to be employed by NABCO is a drop in the sea of unemployed young ones in this country, there is more work to be done by our leaders to solve this teeming rise in unemployment. If we want to make headway, our leaders must take longer term structural decisions to absorb more people into well thought-out employment avenues.

Opportunities exist in the health, transport, tourism, sports, education, entertainment, Information technology, agricultural industries among others for our leaders to spearhead the creation of employment avenues for ourselves. It all boils down to medium to long term planning and doing away with partisan politics in the execution of policies. There has to be concerted efforts by both political parties to carve out a common path in the direction of creating meaningful jobs for our generation and the next to come.

To the nation builder, grab this opportunity to add value to yourself, work hard to earn your money, discipline yourself in your finances and contribute your quota to the growth of our dear nation.

And to my fellow reader, regardless of your view on NABCO, I urge we give it the maximum support, put in our suggestions where needed to make it a success; for whether we cherish it or otherwise the nation builders are here, and they are here for good.