On Tuesday, 14th October, 2025, the Ghana Prisons Service Training School at Fumso in the Ashanti Region hosted the graduation of a new batch of Prison Office Assistants trained under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). Representing the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Mr Malik Basintale, at the event was the Upper West Regional Director of the Agency, Hon. Basiera Sankara, who served as the Reviewing Officer.
In his remarks, Hon. Sankara urged the graduates to be worthy ambassadors of the Youth Employment Agency, demonstrating professionalism, integrity, and compassion in the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates. His message captured the true essence of the YEA’s vision, which is to empower the youth with employable skills while promoting national development and stability.
The initiative is not just about offering temporary jobs to young people. It is a transformational intervention that provides participants with physical and mental discipline, teamwork, and a sense of civic duty. These are essential qualities that prepare them not only for the world of work but also for responsible citizenship.
It is equally important to know that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between YEA and the various security services will enable the transition of qualified serving YEA Assistants who have undergone training and proven their competence into professional service personnel. This marks a paradigm shift in the traditional recruitment process previously overseen by YEA. The government has been widely commended for this bold policy, which is expected to cut down recruitment costs, shorten training periods, and ensure greater efficiency and continuity within the security services.
Beyond job creation, the YEA programme plays a significant role in national security and social stability. Engaging the youth productively helps reduce the number of idle young men and women who might otherwise end up on the streets engaging in unlawful activities. The skills and discipline gained from such training programmes are invaluable to both the individual and the state.
However, one major challenge that threatens the sustainability of this noble initiative is political discontinuity. Too often, changes in government lead to the dismissal of trained YEA personnel, as each new administration seeks to create opportunities for its members. This unfortunate trend undermines the programme’s purpose and wastes valuable human resources. But once the Youth Employment Agency and the various security services have agreed to absorb these already trained officers, it is a call in the right direction. The cost of training them will be reduced compared to training fresh recruits.
This is not to suggest recruits will only be gotten from these already trained officers, but unlike in the past where their services were only limited to being assistants in the various security services, this time those who demonstrate professional conduct and excel in their line of duties will be absorbed into the mainstream of their various security services they work.
We must remind ourselves that whether under the NDC or the NPP, these youth are Ghanaians first. Their employment and contribution to national development should never depend on which party is in power. A youth trained to serve Ghana should not lose his or her job because of politics.
The Youth Employment Agency has proven that when given the opportunity, Ghana’s youth can rise to the occasion. What they need now is policy consistency and institutional protection to build on the skills they have acquired.
Empowering the youth through structured programmes like the YEA is not a favour—it is an investment in the future of Ghana.
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