YEA Starts BEAP With 1452 Businesses

The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has announced the successful roll out of its Business and Employment Assistance Programme (BEAP) aimed at bolstering Ghana’s economic recovery post-COVID-19.

BEAP, designed to support 10,000 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and startups severely impacted by the pandemic, has begun with 1,452 businesses.

The 1,452 businesses constitute the first phase of the BEAP initiative as more businesses will be added every month.

In its effort to sustain the initiative, BEAP  commenced payments to 1,500 beneficiaries verified under the programme.

These individuals have been strategically placed within various sectors such as chop bars, pharmacies and schools, receiving vital salary support amidst ongoing economic obstacles.

The disbursement of payments to the first 1,500 verified BEAP beneficiaries marks a significant milestone in YEA efforts to alleviate unemployment and support struggling enterprises.

The programme, offering GHS 500 per recruited employee with additional employer contributions, aims to mitigate financial strains faced by businesses highlighted in a recent survey by the Ghana Statistical Service.

BEAP not only provides a lifeline to SMEs but also aims to foster employment opportunities across Ghana, targeting a total of 20,000 beneficiaries as part of its broader initiative.

The YEA remains committed to utilizing sustainable funding from the Communication Service Tax exclusively for job creation and economic empowerment initiatives.

In addition to BEAP, the YEA has been instrumental in various employment and skills training programmes, collaborating closely with State agencies to enhance community services, healthcare, and vocational training opportunities.

Targeting various establishments such as chop bars, pharmacies, schools and more, BEAP strives to alleviate the financial burden on these enterprises while bolstering employment opportunities for Ghana’s workforce.

The plan is to support 10,000 companies, facilitating the employment of approximately 20,000 individuals.

In 2022/2023, the Government of Ghana through YEA recruited:

bull; 15,000 community protection assistants working with the Ghana Police Service
bull; 6,000 community health workers working with the Ghana Health Service
bull; 1,500 prison office assistants working with the Ghana Prisons Service
bull; 4,000 workers on the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme
bull; 5,000 insurance agents for the National Insurance Commission with base pay
bull; 13,000 direct jobs secured through the YEA job centre
bull; 2,000 dressmaking trainees undergoing apprenticeship training with GHC 500 monthly support
bull; over 30,000 entrepreneurs trained by both the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the Ghana Library Board with support for set-ups
bull; 2,000 young people trained by the Accra Digital Centre in basic and advanced IT skills
bull; Currently, YEA is recruiting another 20,000 young people to be trained and set up in 10 different trade areas being – carpentry, masonry, plumbing, hairdressing, beauty care, auto works, general electricals, Plaster of Paris (POP), steel works, welding and fabrication and painting. All arrangements have been made for training to start next week.
bull; 45,000 sanitation module beneficiaries
bull; financial support to over 500 dress makers and 40 large garment companies

 YEA initiatives impacted various sectors including community services, health, entrepreneurship, and vocational training, experienced significant growth, offering a beacon of hope for Ghanaian youth seeking stable employment and entrepreneurial ventures.