The first recruits under the Nation Builder’s Corps (NABCo) will be starting work today [Thursday].
The programme, which has been criticised as unsustainable by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), forms part of government’s commitment towards addressing the high youth unemployment in the country.
President Nana Akufo-Addo last Wednesday commissioned the passing out ceremony for 100,000 beneficiaries under NABCO modules which include Feed Ghana, Educate Ghana, Revenue Ghana, Heal Ghana, Enterprise Ghana, Digitise Ghana and Governance Ghana.
The National Coordinator of NABCo, Ibrahim Anyass, assured that the programme is not a duplication of other youth employment schemes like the Youth Employment Agency (YEA).
The recruits will be receiving a monthly stipend of GHc700.
President Nana Akufo-Addo at the passing out ceremony admonished the recruits not to consider the GHc700 stipend as free money but should work hard to earn it.
“You must bear in mind that government is investing some GH¢3 billion cedis of taxpayers’ money into this programme. Your monthly GH¢700 is not free money and you must earn every pesewa of it which I’m confident you’ll do,” he said.
NABCO will succeed – Nana Addo tells critics
President Akufo-Addo at the passing out ceremony hit back at critics who downplayed the impact of the NABCo
He insisted the programme will go a long way to partly address the current unemployment situation in the country.
He was also optimistic the country will benefit from the talents of the NABCo graduates.
“As has become the norm with every bold initiative proposed by this administration, this programme, predictably, was not only ridiculed in certain quarters but also met with pessimistic and cynical comments with some going to the extent of urging graduates from our nations tertiary institutions not to register for the programme. In NABCO, we have planted the seeds of growth and future of our country. I am in no doubt whatsoever that NABCO will succeed,” he added.
