The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is advancing to the next phase of its flagship waste-to-wealth initiative aimed at creating jobs from coconut husks, with over 4,700 young people already applying for free training under the programme.
Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Malik Basintale, announced on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, that the agency has completed key preparatory processes and is ready to begin shortlisting applicants for training and deployment.
Mr. Basintale recalled that the initiative was first announced on September 30, 2025, when the agency outlined plans to create 2,000 direct jobs by converting coconut waste into charcoal and other products.
“It is a fact that I published on September 30 about how we could create 2,000 jobs from coconut husks by converting them into charcoal and even many other products in future,” he stated.
Following the announcement, YEA opened its application portal on October 6, 2025, targeting persons aged 18 to 35 in the Greater Accra Region. According to the CEO, the response has been overwhelming.
“We have since had over 4,700 people applying after we opened the portal for interested persons to be trained for free by experts,” he said.
Mr. Basintale emphasized that delays in rollout were due to strict public procurement and accountability procedures required in managing taxpayer funds.
“Government business such as this comes with various processes and procedures in order not to be in breach of the law… We do not intend training and leaving them to their fate; we are to set them up and ensure that production commences,” he explained.
He disclosed that the agency has now secured the necessary logistics to operationalize the programme.
“I can boldly state that over 1,000 ovens are ready. Costumes and equipment are ready, and almost all materials needed are in place,” he said.
The next phase will involve the selection and training of successful applicants, who will be equipped with startup tools at no cost.
“We shall now move into the second phase, where successful applicants will be fully trained and given their free ovens and startup kits to commence production,” Mr. Basintale noted.
Beyond training, the YEA says it will provide market linkages to ensure sustainability of the beneficiaries’ businesses.
“These persons will not be left on their own. They will be linked to the market to attract customers so they can stay in business,” he added.
Mr. Basintale further highlighted the broader economic potential of the initiative, indicating that the entire value chain could benefit at least 5,000 people—from waste collection to production and distribution.
“The value chain is huge, and we expect not less than 5,000 people benefiting right from the picking of coconut husks to supply and distribution of the charcoal,” he said.
He reiterated that the programme is designed not only to tackle youth unemployment but also to address environmental degradation.
“Our main aim is to create jobs while ensuring that deforestation is reduced and our environment is sustained,” he stressed.
The YEA CEO also pointed to the agency’s wider impact, revealing that about 86,000 beneficiaries were engaged across Ghana in 2025 under various modules, including skills training, community protection assistants, and labour exchange programmes.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
