The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has received an allocation of US$3.6 million, equivalent to about GH¢44 million, to train and employ 11,200 beneficiaries under the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion (GWYESCO) programme.
The agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Malik Basintale, disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series, announcing that recruitment of beneficiaries is expected to begin in the first week of November 2026.
He explained that GWYESCO is a government initiative supported by the African Development Bank. The programme seeks to expand economic opportunities, develop skills, empower women and young people, and strengthen social cohesion through sustainable job creation.
According to Mr Basintale, the agency will implement the programme through six specialised employment interventions targeting selected areas of economic activity.
“I am happy to announce that an allocation of 3.6 million US dollars equivalents to about 44 million Ghana cedis have been earmarked for the Youth Employment Agency to facilitate the training and employment of 11,200 beneficiaries across selected areas of economic activity,”
Mr Malik Basintale, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Employment Agency (YEA)
Mr Basintale said preparatory work had already begun, with GWYESCO expected to feature prominently in the agency’s employment plans.
He indicated that recruitment would commence in the first week of November 2026, as the agency prepares to enrol beneficiaries for training and employment opportunities under the programme.
Six Interventions to Drive Employment
He Said the programme will be delivered through six specialised interventions: Youth in Production, Youth in Bio Digester Construction and Installation, hospitality and domestic service, Youth in Construction, Youth in Sustainable Transport Service, and Youth in Beauty Care Services.
According to him Youth in Production intervention will promote sustainable charcoal alternatives, while the bio-digester initiative will develop skills in environmentally sustainable waste management and sanitation technologies, and hospitality and domestic service component will be implemented under one of the agency’s existing initiatives.
Mr Basintale explained that the selected areas were intended to equip beneficiaries with market-related skills while creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and participation in emerging sectors of the economy.
Focus on Green Jobs and Livelihoods
Mr Basintale explained that several of the interventions, including sustainable charcoal alternatives, bio-digester construction and sustainable transport, are designed to link job creation with environmentally sustainable economic activities. Other areas, such as construction, hospitality and beauty care, will provide beneficiaries with skills for trades that can support employment and income generation.
Mr Basintale said the programme was intended to demonstrate how youth employment initiatives could address unemployment while promoting entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
“We intend to demonstrate that youth employment interventions can simultaneously address unemployment, promote entrepreneurship, support the transition towards greener economic activities and improve livelihoods of vulnerable populations,”
Mr Malik Basintale, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Employment Agency (YEA)
He added that successful implementation of the six interventions would provide thousands of young Ghanaians with meaningful economic opportunities and contribute to building a more inclusive, productive and socially cohesive society.
YEA Targets More Jobs Next Year
Beyond the GWYESCO programme, Mr Basintale disclosed that the agency was targeting the creation of between 100,000 and 200,000 additional jobs next year. He said the target forms part of broader efforts to expand employment opportunities for young people, building on the agency’s achievements this year.
The commencement of recruitment under GWYESCO in November will mark the next stage of the initiative, with the agency expected to select beneficiaries and begin training across the six intervention areas.
The programme’s implementation will be critical to determining how effectively the allocated funds translate into employment, entrepreneurship and improved livelihoods for the 11,200 intended beneficiaries.
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