Over seven hundrend skilled artisans are expected to be employed by the Youth Employment Agency.
This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Agency and INZAG Germany GmBH, a German Construction firm.
The aim is to recruit about 800 youth for the construction of the Eastern Corridor roads from Ashaiman roundabout to Akosombo Junction.
At a brief signing ceremony held at the head office of the YEA in Accra on November 29, 2022, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Agency, Kofi Baah Agyepong, explained that the agreement follows the recently held Job Fairs to pursue skills training, acquisition and development to create sustainable jobs for the teeming unemployed youth which has began yielding results.
According to him, the Agency existed to create the enabling environment for the unemployed youth to land jobs and skills acquisition remained a key ingredient in the quest of the youth to achieve their dream jobs.
He expressed concern that artisans work in Ghana had been taken over by artisans from neighbouring countries because the Ghanaian artisans lacked the requisite skills set sought after by employing firms who need some particular skills to boost their production.
The CEO further said the Agency had taken up the challenge to change the narrative this time through partnerships to help train more of the youth to acquire the requisite skills set for masonry, plumbing, tiling, steel bending, carpentry and P.OP. Designing etc. to meet the needs of the emerging job markets that offer sustainable and decent jobs for the youth.
On his part, Fernando Mariano, Country Manager of INZAG Germany GmBH, said they would employ the over 700 artisans for the construction and rehabilitation of the 64.5km Ashaiman to Akosombo dual carriage road to earn a sustainable living while contributing their expertise to the construction of that major state asset.
A major highlight of the Agreement is high security and safety standards set to protect the employees from exploitation through a carefully designed welfare and safety measures.
He explained that workers to be engaged under the Agreement would have their income taxes, social security contributions and all other statutory payments made on their behalf by INZAG Germany adding further that protective clauses have been inserted to cater for risks and other occupational hazards that might unlikely occur to any worker during working hours or in the process of discharging their duties.
“Equally we have outlined procedures to provide proper forum for complaint, disciplinary actions and dispute resolutions in the event such unwarranted situation occurs.”
He appealed to private investors both foreign and local as well as industry players, public corporations and state enterprises to rely on YEA for their labour needs.
He announced that following the signing of the MoU, the Agency would open the portal for prospective employees to register.
The INZAG Team on their part disclosed that construction works on the road project would commence in December this year or early next year.
They explained that payment would vary among the various category of workers from skilled to unskilled labourers.
The YEA Chief Executive Officer signed on behalf of the Agency while Fernando Mariano, Country Manager of INZAG Germany signed on behalf of the Construction firm.
By Vincent Kubi