Youth Employment Agency CEO Malik Basintale has explained the significant rise in the agency’s rental expenses during a Public Accounts Committee hearing.
The agency’s rent payments increased from 3.2 million cedis in 2023 to 5.5 million cedis in 2024, representing a 72 percent surge that drew scrutiny from committee members.
Basintale attributed the increase to a directive from the Ministry of Works and Housing requiring the agency to contract private firm K&A for facility management due to the deteriorating condition of their premises. The private manager undertook substantial upgrades to the facility’s amenities, resulting in the dramatic cost escalation.
The CEO revealed that plans are underway to secure a permanent facility for the agency to avoid future rental payments. Youth Development Minister George Opare-Addo confirmed these efforts, noting that appropriate premises would be identified in due course.
Regarding the agency’s sanitation module, Basintale indicated that a tender evaluation committee is reviewing bids, leaving uncertainty about whether long-term partner Zoomlion Ghana Limited will retain the contract. He emphasized that beneficiaries under the new module would receive significantly improved remuneration, with payments approaching 300 percent increases above previous levels.
The agency also confirmed settling two months of outstanding allowances for validated workers, while excluding those who failed to complete required validation processes.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
