Aggrieved YEA Employee Confronts Malik Basintale in Public Over Salary Arrears, Ghanaians React

• An aggrieved Ghanaian youth could not hold back his frustration during an encounter with the CEO of the Youth Employment Agency
• In a video which has surfaced online, the young man complained bitterly about his nine-mont salary arrears
• Touched by his plight, Malik assured him that the money would be paid, warming hearts online

An aggrieved Ghanaian youth could not hold back his frustration during an encounter with the CEO of the Youth Employment Agency.

The young man complained bitterly about his unpaid salary for nine months. In a video, he narrated how he had been working for close to a year without being paid.

He noted that he had not been paid since September 2024, despite holding a staff Identity Card and working diligently.

The young man who did not mention his name lamented bitterly and asked the Minister to intervene.

Malik, on the other hand, listened raptly to the young man's plight and assured him that his arrears would be cleared.

Ghana grapples with youth unemployment

Youth unemployment has been one of Ghana's greatest challenges. Some who secure jobs are also poorly remunerated, causing poverty and unimproved living conditions.

Despite efforts by successive governments to curb unemployment, the canker remains since most of the youth struggle to get paid.

Notably, the ​Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) was a Ghanaian government initiative launched in 2018 to provide temporary employment to unemployed graduates.

The program aimed to address graduate unemployment by placing participants in various public sector roles across seven modules, including education, health, and agriculture. Trainees were to receive a monthly stipend of GH¢700, however, the stipends were not being paid at one point.

See the video of the YEA employee demanding his salary arrears below:

NABCO struggles with funding

Despite its objectives, NABCO faced significant challenges, notably the non-payment of stipends to trainees. Many participants reported arrears ranging from 9 to 18 months, leading to financial hardships.

The issue was particularly pronounced after the program's extension in 2021, with some trainees continuing to work without compensation.​ In response to the unpaid allowances, NABCO trainees organised demonstrations and threatened legal action. Other initiatives have been introduced, however, funding remains a challenge in most cases.

Reactions to man approaching Basintale over unpaid salaries

Netizens who saw the video of the young man lamenting his unpaid salaries were divided and expressed mixed reactions in the comments section.

@MaameEsiGold wrote:

"That’s actually great of him to hear his complaints that your government didn’t pay them anything..!! I thought you guys had paid them all? Wow."

@GreatGr63671798 wrote:

"Could these guys go close to any appointee in the previous government?"

@TheoQuartey wrote:

"In ur haste to mock this administration, you score an ‘own goal’. Did you catch the part where the claimant said they’ve not been paid for 8 months now? How long has the NDC been in office? Simple patience to watch to the end would have saved you this embarrassment."

@AnaabFrostie wrote:

"He said he wasn't paid for 9 months. He said he checked, and his name was removed from the list. Yet like a sheep, you posted this, thinking that you were hurting a 4-month-old government. Gyimii. Wasted school fees."

Main causes of unemployment in Ghana

Earlier, Yen.com.gh reported on the main causes of unemployment in Ghana, with the reasons varying in nature and influenced by different factors.

Ghana faces unemployment due to a mismatch between education and market needs. Graduates often lack practical skills required by employers.

Slow industrial growth limits job creation in key sectors like manufacturing. This leaves many in informal or unstable employment.

Lack of access to credit hinders entrepreneurship among the youth. Without capital, many are unable to start or expand businesses.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh