The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Awuah Baffour has disclosed that the government has resolved to increase the monthly allowances of beneficiaries of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA).

According to him, allowances are being increased from GHS300 to GHS400.

Mr. Awuah Baffour made this known Wednesday whilst answering questions on the floor of parliament on the scheme.

He said: “For the programme beneficiaries, a total of 62,825 persons have been deployed throughout the country under various modules… As of December 2016, programme beneficiaries were paid a minimum basic allowance of GHS300 with compulsory monthly savings of GHS50 which is paid back to every contributor upon their exit.”

“Mr Speaker, there is a proposal to increase the allowance of programme beneficiaries of a monthly rate of GHS300 to a minimum of GHS400,” he added.

Touching on the reports that the Agency is on the verge of transferring beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme during the previous government, Mr. Awuah Baffour stated that nothing of that sort is being pursued by government.

Over 500 workers of the YEA were in line to be affected in the transfer which according to the agency was intended to reposition it for higher productivity. Others were also to be demoted and reassigned.

But an Accra High Court Wednesday placed an interim injunction on the move which was debunked by the minister.