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Committee to investigate NYEP in the
offing
Accra, July 23, GNA - Nana Akomea, Minister-Designate,
Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, said on Monday
that it was in the interest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)
to create more jobs for as many youth as possible under the
National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
He said it was, therefore, surprising that there were
reports that the programme was only engaging NPP supporters.
He said when given the nod as the Minister of the Employment
Ministry, he would set up a committee to investigate
complaints that the NYEP was an avenue to create jobs for
party supporters.
Nana Akomea said these in response to questions when he
appeared before Parliament's Appointment Committee to be
vetted.
The Minister-designate told the committee that although he
was aware of a mandatory 12. 5 per cent contributions by
employers to the social security scheme on behalf of
employees, he needed to find out whether the NYEP, as an
employer, was carrying out this obligation.
He said the NYEP was in transition and had some teething
problems such as funding but a study needed to be carried
out to find out whether the programme was capable of paying
social security contributions on behalf of those employed.
On the question of whether the NYEP, was paying the minimum
wage to those employed under the programme, he said there
were various stages of engagement within the programme and
it was still evolving.
Mr. Joseph Labik, Independent Member of Parliament for
Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, wanted to find out why it appeared little
focus and resources were directed at the Department of
Social Welfare.
Nana Akomea said the Department was not under funded and was
doing a lot to take care of the vulnerable.
He said what was lacking was that its activities had not
received a lot of public attention.
The Minister-designate in response to another question, said
it should be possible for tertiary institutions to run
courses on developing the entreprenuering skills for all
final year students to help them set up businesses on their
own, once out of school.
When Mr. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Minister-Designate, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, NEPAD and Regional Integration, took his
turn, he told the committee that it was cost effective to
buy houses for Ghana's missions abroad instead of renting
out places to house them.
He said Ghana had had a mission in Egypt right from the
1950's and it made more sense to have a policy to buy a
house rather then rent a place for such missions.
In response to a question on changing the name of the
Foreign Ministry to that of Ministry of International
Relations, he said the change of name did not matter, so
long as the objectives and activities of Ghana's foreign
policy were being carried out.
Mr Osei-Adjei told the committee that he was aware that some
monies were collected by Ghana's missions for the Ghana@50
celebrations, but added that the money did not come to the
Foreign Ministry. He promised to furnish Parliament with
details of where the monies went.
GNA
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