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The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has proposed amending the agency’s governing law to make it the main channel through which public and private sector employers recruit workers.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Basintale said the agency currently lacked the legal authority to require employers to recruit through it, limiting its ability to connect young people directly to mainstream employment.
He said an amendment to the Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 (Act 887), could strengthen the agency’s role in preparing young people for work and linking them to employment opportunities across different sectors.
“We are considering that, and we know surely that His Excellency the President, John Dramani Mahama, will table that and ensure that anybody employed into any sector in this country should pass through the Youth Employment Agency for training and also ensuring that they are well equipped for whatever they are going to do,” Basintale said.
YEA Seeks Greater Authority in Recruitment
Basintale explained that the agency currently depends on partnerships with other institutions and employers to create job opportunities under its various programmes.
He said the proposed amendment would give the YEA a stronger role in connecting jobseekers with employers and ensuring that recruits receive relevant training before entering the workforce.
The proposal would represent a significant expansion of the agency’s role if enacted, potentially affecting how recruitment is organised across both public and private sectors.
However, the announcement concerns a proposed amendment. It does not mean that employers are currently legally required to recruit through the YEA.
What the Existing Law Says
The Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 (Act 887), established the agency to develop, coordinate, supervise and facilitate job creation for young people in Ghana.
Its functions include setting standards for youth employment and career development, providing labour-market skills training, monitoring youth employment and facilitating job opportunities in both the public and private sectors. The Act also provides for the agency to serve as a one-stop shop for youth employment and entrepreneurial development.
Basintale’s proposal seeks to build on that mandate by giving the agency greater authority to coordinate recruitment into mainstream employment.
Any change to the existing legal framework would need to follow the applicable legislative process before becoming law.
The proposal forms part of broader efforts by the YEA to expand employment opportunities and improve the transition from training and temporary placements into sustainable work for young Ghanaians.
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