The Ghana Police Service and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) have signed an agreement to recruit and train 12,000 young people as community police assistants to help reduce unemployment and support law enforcement across Ghana.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on May 19, 2025, in the presence of the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.

The initiative will engage young Ghanaians aged 18 to 35, who will be trained in basic policing and deployed to their communities to support local law enforcement.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister for the Interior said the programme addresses two major issues facing the country: high youth unemployment and the limited presence of police personnel in many communities.

“This is a practical way to improve public safety while offering employment to young Ghanaians,” he said.

He acknowledged the roles played by the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr George Opare Addo; the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno; and the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Mr Malik Basintale, in bringing the agreement to fruition.

Mr Basintale, who also spoke at the event, described unemployment among young people as a growing global challenge.

“Globally, 1.8 billion young people are jobless. My daily task is to create opportunities for the youth of Ghana,” he said.

“These 12,000 positions are in line with the President’s plans for a 24-hour economy and will directly impact lives.”

He explained that the recruits will undergo intensive training in basic policing duties and intelligence gathering before being assigned to local police stations.

“Our police service lacks enough personnel,” Mr Basintale said. “These community assistants will rely on their knowledge of the areas they live in to support regular officers, helping to improve security without overstretching the existing staff.”

Youth unemployment remains a major concern. Data from the Ghana Statistical Service showed that in 2023, unemployment among persons aged 15 to 24 stood at 32.8 percent.

Mr Basintale said the new programme gives many young people a chance to earn an income while contributing to safer neighbourhoods.

“This will keep 12,000 young people engaged in productive work and away from criminal influences such as robbery and drug abuse,” he added.

The community policing roles will be for an initial period of two years, but could lead to permanent positions within the police service, depending on performance and available openings.

According to the YEA, the programme also brings relief to households across the country by providing a source of income for thousands of young people.

Interested applicants have been directed to submit their applications via the agency’s online portal: apply.yea.gov.gh  (http://apply.yea.gov.gh ). Recruitment is expected to begin shortly.