The Ghana Police Service and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) have signed a landmark agreement to recruit 12,000 young Ghanaians as community police assistants, in a move aimed at addressing youth unemployment and strengthening community-based law enforcement.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday, May 19, 2025, in Accra, with Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, YEA CEO Malik Basintale, and Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno in attendance.

The initiative targets young people between the ages of 18 and 35, who will undergo training in basic policing and intelligence gathering before being deployed to their communities to support local police operations.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Interior Minister Muntaka said the programme tackles two of Ghana’s most pressing challenges: unemployment and gaps in community policing.

“This is a practical way to improve public safety while offering meaningful employment to young Ghanaians,” he stated.

YEA CEO Malik Basintale highlighted the global youth unemployment crisis, noting that over 1.8 billion young people are currently out of work.

“These 12,000 positions align with the President’s vision for a 24-hour economy and will directly impact households across the country,” he said.

He added that the programme is designed not only to offer temporary employment but also to build pathways toward permanent roles in law enforcement, depending on performance and available openings. Successful candidates will serve an initial two-year term.

Statistics from the Ghana Statistical Service indicate that youth unemployment stood at 32.8% in 2023, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable job creation.

Basintale also noted the broader impact of the programme:

“This initiative will keep thousands of young people engaged in productive work and away from criminal influences such as robbery and drug abuse,” he emphasized.

Recruitment is expected to begin soon, with interested applicants encouraged to apply via the YEA portal at apply.yea.gov.gh.