In a recent press meeting in Accra on August 25, 2024, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia shared some news that resonated deeply with many Ghanaians. He spoke about the progress of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) initiative, a program that has been close to the hearts of many young people in Ghana.
When NABCO was first introduced, it was more than just a job opportunity; it was a beacon of hope for countless graduates who were struggling to find employment in a challenging job market.
The program aimed to equip participants with the skills and experience needed to secure permanent jobs. The idea was simple yet profound: provide a stepping stone for young Ghanaians to launch their careers.
As Dr. Bawumia addressed the press, he reflected on the program's journey. "The programme had about 100,000 people on it," he said. "I think initially it was supposed to be a three-year program, then it would be renewed, and so on."
Dr. Bawumia proudly announced that "out of the 100,000 that were enrolled, 34,000 have exited into permanent jobs under NABCO."
However, not everyone feels the same sense of progress. In some circles, there are murmurs that NABCO has collapsed, that it hasn’t lived up to its promises for every participant. Some former personnel, who still await their unpaid allowances, feel a deep sense of frustration.
For them, what started as a lifeline now feels like a broken promise. This sentiment is hard to ignore, especially when it’s coming from those who have invested their time and energy into making the program work for themselves and their communities.
Dr. Bawumia didn’t shy away from these concerns. Acknowledging the delays in payments, he showed a genuine concern for those affected. "I have raised this issue. This is information that has come to me already, and I've raised this issue with the Minister for Finance," he shared.
His assurance, “We're trying to persuade them to make these arrears payments, so we will follow that up,” gives hope to those still waiting, but it also underlines the urgency of addressing these challenges head-on.
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