The recruit comprises 30,967 males and 31, 858 females including 600 persons living with disabilities were engaged in modules such agriculture, teaching, water and sanitation, health and the security services among others.

Mr Saani Nurudeen, Upper West Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency, who made this known during a press conference, said the recruitment formed part of the 100,000 youth targeted to be employed by the agency by the end of 2016.

He said the government was committed to providing jobs for the people and reducing the high unemployment rate among the youth (15 to 35 years), adding that the remaining 37,175 youth would be engaged by the end of December.

Mr Nurudeen said the YEA, which was formerly known as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), was mandated by law to facilitate youth employment in the country through collaborative efforts with both private and public sectors.

The Youth Employment Agency was established under the Youth Employment Agency Act 2015 (Act 887) to oversee the employment, coordination, supervision and facilitation of employment for the youth and related matters in Ghana. 

It is also to serve as a one-stop-shop for employment of the youth and entrepreneurial development of the youth taking into consideration gender and persons living with disability”, he explained.

He said in order to improve teaching and learning as well as improve access to health delivery, especially at the rural level, more youth had been employed in the education and health sectors consisting of 20,603 and 19,500 assistants respectively.

Mr Nurudeen said the Youth in Community Service and Security is to augment the human resource capacity of the police, prison and fire services while providing employment opportunities for the youth. 

He said YEA had conformed to the International Labour Organization (ILO) working standards such as creating equal opportunities and treatment for all youth in terms of access to jobs as well as ensuring safe and decent working environment for all.

In the Upper West Region, 3,585 youth comprising 2,105 males and 1,480 females had been employed in the various sectors.