President Mahama hints restructuring GYEEDA

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday hinted that government would undertake a radical review and re-structure the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Authority (GYEEDA) to ensure the programme’s intended objectives are met.

He said the restructuring would ensure accountability and efficiency that would enhance better management and best governance practices at GYEEDA.

President Mahama announced this when the Committee set up to probe the activities of GYEEDA presented its Report to him at the Flagstaff House in Kanda.

Though the recommendations of the five-member Committee were not made known, its Chairman, Ferdinand Gunn, a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young, indicated that it was convinced that the concepts and objectives of GYEEDA remained relevant.

President Mahama gave the assurance that government would study the report and in the next few weeks, implement the recommendations.

He indicated that the operations of the GYEEDA would be transformed to ensure that the tax payer’s money was judiciously utilized.

“Government is ready to partner the private sector but it must be done with accountability and probity…in the next few weeks we will implement the recommendations to ensure an accountable, efficient and a better managed GYEEDA,” President Mahama stated.

Following public outcry about the management of GYEEDA, an authority established to provide skills training to the youth to enable them fit into the world of work, government set up the five-member committee on April 12 to review and assess the programme’s impact including the regulatory framework.

The Committee, which was given 10 weeks to submit its report, also looked at the institutional weaknesses, examined the various modules, the procurement and contracting procedures, performed in-depth investigations of possible irregularities and financial embezzlement aside reviewing any potential conflict of interest.

In the course of their work, the Committee visited the 10 regions of the country and 50 districts and interviewed a minimum of 500 beneficiaries.

President Mahama noted that in the quest to provide the youth with the requisite skills and materials to enable them to access gainful employment in the world of work, the GYEEDA was set up.

Unfortunately, he said, the manner it was ran attracted public concern, necessitating the establishment of the Committee.

The President lauded the Committee for completing its work within the time-frame.

Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Minister for Youth and Sports, noted that the Committee worked tirelessly, saying “they looked at the institutional weaknesses and made recommendations as to how to deal with them.”

Mr. Gunn, in his remark, said the Committee was able to finish its work despite the time constraints.

Source: GNA