Scrapping of GYEEDA not solution – Joe Abbey

Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Analyses (CEPA) Dr Joe Abbey says scrapping GYEEDA is not the solution to the flaws in the programme.

He is instead calling for a revisit to the objectives for which the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) was set up.

He was reacting to calls by the Vice President of Policy Think Tank, IMANI, Kofi Bentil who advocated for a scrap of the programme in the wake of corruption and questionable contracts revealed by Joy News’ investigations.

Mr Bentil explained that in the unlikely event that the programme succeeds in providing any employable skills to beneficiaries, they would soon be rendered unemployed as the skills would not be sustainable.

In his view, the only solution to the rot at GYEEDA would be a total scrapping of the Agency.

But Economist, Joe Abbey, does not think that is the solution. He says government must ensure transparency in the operation of the programme.

Dr Abbey believes instead of spending more resources investigating who mismanaged funds, government must concentrate on how to avert private profitability and government debt in the programme.

He said International Labour Organisation (ILO) reports and other findings all point to the problem of youth unemployment globally.

According to him, youth frustration resulting from unemployment, “can turn bad”, hence there is the need for a second look at the suggestions to scrap the scheme which is aimed at reducing unemployment rate among the youth.

He, therefore, suggests learning from the bitter lesson and redesigning the programme to rid it of the flaws.