Malik Basintale reports 100,628 youth enrolled in YEA programs

Malik Basintale, the Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has announced that the agency enrolled 100,628 beneficiaries as of September 30, 2026. Speaking at a Government Accountability Series briefing at Jubilee House, Basintale revealed that this achievement represents 75.7% of the agency's annual target of 133,000. He highlighted a significant 566.67% increase in beneficiary recruitment since he assumed office in 2025 under President John Mahama’s administration, asserting that these figures translate into tangible livelihood improvements for young Ghanaians across the country.

To further strengthen the agency's impact, Basintale proposed a legislative amendment to the Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 (Act 887). The proposal seeks to make it mandatory for both public and private sector organizations to channel their recruitments through the YEA, providing the agency with the legal authority to manage and support national job placements. Additionally, the CEO called for a review of the Communications Service Tax (CST) revenue cap. While Section 23(b) of the Act allocates 80% of CST revenue to the YEA, Basintale argued that current funding arrangements and resource caps hinder the agency’s ability to efficiently plan and scale its employment programs.

The agency’s performance report detailed several active modules, including the deployment of 11,788 beneficiaries under the Community Police Assistant initiative to support the Ghana Police Service. Basintale also showcased the Trades and Vocations program, which has already provided international training opportunities for approximately 1,000 beneficiaries. To address regional disparities, the YEA is developing a new delivery service policy, noting that 10 out of 16 regions in Ghana currently lack established delivery infrastructure. Other upcoming initiatives include a dedicated support program for persons with disabilities and the launch of "Jobs Connect," a digital platform designed to link youth with opportunities in the digital economy.

Looking ahead, the YEA aims to transition from providing temporary roles to ensuring long-term job security. Basintale announced plans for retention agreements with security agencies, targeting a 60% absorption rate for beneficiaries into permanent positions. He expressed confidence that President Mahama will support the proposed legal and financial reforms, which he described as essential for making the YEA the primary channel for all job recruitment and training in Ghana.