YEA plans delivery service policy, dedicated programme for persons with disabilities
By Melissa Sackey The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is planning to introduce a comprehensive policy to equip young people with the skills needed to operate in the delivery service sector as part of efforts to expand employment opportunities across the country. The Chief Executive of the agency, Malik Basintale, announced this during the Government Accountability […]
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is set to launch a new delivery service policy, aimed at providing young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the delivery service industry. This initiative is part of a broader effort to boost employment opportunities throughout Ghana. Malik Basintale, the Chief Executive officer of the agency, made this announcement during the Government Accountability Series, where he discussed his tenure as CEO from January 2025 to September 2026.
Currently, 10 out of Ghana's 16 administrative regions lack established delivery services, while those that do either do not exist or are unevenly distributed. Basintale emphasized that the proposed policy would equip young people with the essential skills needed to participate in this sector, thereby creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
In addition to this policy, the YEA plans to implement a dedicated programme to support persons with disabilities (PWDs), thereby making their employment interventions more inclusive.
The agency already operates a Trades and Vocations programme, which trains young people in practical skills such as carpentry, welding, and hairstyling. This programme also provides start-up tools to those looking to establish their own businesses. Notably, some programme beneficiaries have even been sent abroad to pursue employment opportunities.
Despite these efforts, Basintale highlighted two major challenges that the agency faces: funding and operational constraints. He called for a review of the cap on Communications Service Tax revenue, which he argued affects the predictability and availability of resources needed to implement the agency's interventions. According to Section 23(b) of the Youth Employment Act, 2015 (Act 887), 80% of Communications Service Tax revenue is allocated to the agency as a funding source.
Basintale urged for a revision of this funding arrangement to better support the agency's initiatives.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
