Kofi Agyepong, CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has reiterated the agency’s steadfast commitment to increasing its recruitment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the long term.
Mr. Agyepong emphasized the vital role of promoting disability inclusion in the workplace, highlighting its potential to shape policies, laws, and services for sustainable and inclusive societal development.
Addressing a press conference at the agency’s headquarters in Accra on Thursday, he stated, “What we have achieved so far is unprecedented, but our plans for future recruitment are even more ambitious. We’ve laid the foundation today and are poised for substantial expansion.”
Underlining the agency’s crucial role in providing employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth amid economic uncertainties, Agyepong also shed light on the challenges faced by former tollbooth workers following the government’s decision to suspend road toll collection. He acknowledged the significant impact this decision had on over 200 PWDs, who lost their livelihoods and faced hardships.
In response, YEA launched a comprehensive recruitment drive in collaboration with government ministries and advocacy organizations. The initiative resulted in the successful employment of 282 former tollbooth workers as staff members of YEA, with strategic placements in roles such as Regional Disability Desk Officers and District Disability Desk Officers across all regions and operational districts.
Agyepong expressed profound joy at the employment opportunities created, emphasizing their significance in providing pride, financial stability, and influential positions for PWDs to contribute meaningfully to disability rights advocacy and policy formulation.
Beyond immediate interventions, YEA has developed impactful programs such as the Business and Employment Assistance Programme (BEAP) and Youth in Skills training, ensuring equitable opportunities for all individuals. The agency guarantees the welfare and social security of its newly employed PWDs, extending them the same benefits enjoyed by other government employees.
Agyepong expressed gratitude to partners including the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Ministry of Roads and Transport, Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), and the Centre for Employment of Persons with Disabilities (CEPD), reaffirming YEA’s unwavering dedication to championing the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities in Ghana.
Alexander Kojo Tetteh, President of CEPD, commended YEA for its initiative, noting its potential to inspire PWDs to excel and actively participate in shaping agency programs and projects.
