Ghana, EU signs €31.6 million deal to support employment creation

Ghana and the European Union have signed a €31.6 million deal to support the Employment and Labour Relation Ministry to implement the Ghana Employment and Social Protection Programme (GESP).

It will be implemented under four areas; Enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the social protection system, improve employment policy management at central and local level, strengthen technical and vocational education and training opportunities for the informal sector and in agricultural value chains and Improve access to effective Business Development Services and finance in an enabling business environment.

Mr Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance, said the EU has an impressive record as far as support to Ghana’s development agenda is concerned, and its interventions in the various sectors were highly commendable, the GNA reported on Tuesday.

He said the signing of the agreement with the EU was significant and timely because it is the first direct intervention in employment and social protection, saying other previous interventions have been in areas of road infrastructure and rural development.Mr Terkper said the programme also has macroeconomic significance, by being in line with the policy priorities of both the Ministries of Gender and Social Protection and Employment and Labour Relations.

The European Union in 2014 cut budget support to Ghana over ghost names on government payroll.

However, in 2015, the EU announced its decision to resume budget support disbursements to Ghana.

A statement released by the union said “the EU stands ready to support Ghana in pursuing its development agenda and particularly in the implementation of the challenging structural reforms ahead”.