Parliament Fails To Pass Bill

A draft bill expected to regulate the operation of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) programme is facing challenges in Parliament regarding issues surrounding the source of funding for the programme.

The bill currently with the Youth and Employment Committees of Parliament when passed into law, would restructure the scandal laden GYEEDA and provide for the establishment of a Youth Employment Fund which is intended to support youth development through skills training and internship.

The bill which was highly anticipated to be passed by the House today, Wednesday failed to go through due to disagreements over funding arrangements.The bill has been deferred to Thursday, February 5.

The Minority has had concerns over the current state of the GYEEDA Bill. They argue there are still loopholes in the bill that will allow officials to siphon state funds if passed.

The Kufuor administration instituted the National Youth Employment Programme, (NYEP) but the programme was transformed into GYEEDA under the Mills administration.

It is an initiative set up to lessen the economic pressure on the unemployed youth in Ghana.

The programme is primarily to provide the unemployed youth with skills and short-term jobs.

But with the emergence of reports of financial malfeasance in the Agency, President Mahama ordered the management of GYEEDA to freeze all modules under the programme until ongoing reforms come to a close.

The programme is being restructured and officials indicted in the GYEEDA investigation have been processed for court.