The NABCo Trainees Association of Ghana (NABTAG) has called on the government to make available their eight-month unpaid allowances before commencing YouStart, an initiative to ease constraints for existing and aspiring young entrepreneurs.
According to the association, there is an ongoing process to enrol a section of the Nation Builders Corp (NABCo) trainees on the yet-to-be-launched programme.
In a statement released on Monday, 27 June 2022, NABTAG indicated NABCo trainees were struggling to survive due to the failure of the government to redeem its promises to them.
“It does not send the right signal when you have not paid NABCo trainees for the past eight months, which has plunged them into severe hardship but readying for the launch of YouStart. What positive assurance can that serve to inform the public on the outlook of the YouStart?” the statement read.
The statement bemoaned the number of calls made to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene appeared to have fallen on deaf ears.
“The president’s nonchalant attitude over the current situation is disparaging to its lowest point. We have placed several calls on him to intervene, but the issue keeps exacerbating,” portions of the statement read.
The statement added that” We humbly implore GES to be consummate its processes in offering permanent appointment to Educate Ghana Trainee. The data collection exercise has been hanging far too long with no positive outcome.
Information reaching us indicate that Ghana Revenue Authority is provisionally cushioning its trainees. We hope that the step taken will culminate in permanently placing them.”
YouStart Initaitive
In April this year, the CEO of the Nations Builder’s Corps (NABCo), Dr. Ibrahim Anyars disclosed that the current trainees of the programme will take up the opportunity created by the government with the YouStart initiative to become entrepreneurs and employ others as they exit the programme.
The YouStart initiative under the Ghana CARES programme is being introduced to ease constraints for existing and aspiring young entrepreneurs.
Young entrepreneurs, under the initiative, can apply for the following support through a dedicated YouStart online portal: skills training and development; entrepreneurial support and business advisory services; competitive credit and starter packs; mentoring and access to markets, including portals, to facilitate “digital linkages” between youth-led enterprises and other businesses and relevant government agencies.
Successful applicants will be eligible for soft loans of up to fifty thousand cedis (GH¢50,000) to help start-ups (for young graduates and school leavers) and small businesses to expand; starter packs for equipment acquisition up to fifty thousand cedis (GH¢50,000) for individuals and one hundred thousand cedis (GH¢100,000) for associations and groups; and a standardised loan package between one hundred thousand cedis (GH¢100,000) to four hundred thousand cedis (GH¢400,000) at concessional rates for SMEs from financial institutions.