Hadzide to youth: Support E-Levy to create more jobs

The chief executive officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Pius Enam Hadzide has emphasised the need for the youth to support the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

Hadzide said such support will go a long will to support the YouStart initiative to reduce youth unemployment in Ghana.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the implementation of YouStart programme, Hadzide said: “The process to leverage our creative and entrepreneurial spirit has been awakened and it must be embraced by us all.”

“I also want to use the opportunity to thank the Parliament of Ghana for passing the E-Levy bill into law, the E- Levy Act.

“Because the E-Levy is one of the critical enablers of the YouStart initiative, and we are grateful that Parliament pass the E-Levy bill, and I want to encourage all of us to support the implementation of the E-Levy law,” Hadzide added.

Sustain YouStart programme
An economist Dr Patrick Asuming of the University of Ghana Business School, wants the government to invest in entrepreneurial education in schools as it launches a youth-focused programme dubbed “YouStart“.

The “YouStart” initiative, yet to be launched by President Nana Akufo-Addo later this month, is part of other programmes by the government to help deal with unemployment in Ghana.

Speaking to Asaase News, Asuming urged the government to ensure that the policy is sustained for a longer period.

“The participating financial institutions will have absolute control, in the selection, analysis and all the processes that will ultimately lead to the disbursement of funds and recovery so it’s a sustainable process,” he said.

“But beyond what the banks and the commercial sector will be doing, the government is also targeting the district entrepreneurship programmes where government institutions will lead that front. So, we are going to have a broad base approach and even beyond the district programmes; entrepreneurship programmes we are also looking to partner with the faith-based organisations in Ghana.”

Meanwhile, the deputy Finance Minister John Kumah has rejected concerns that the YouStart initiative will flop.