The Youth Employment Agency (YEA), led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Malik Basintale, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Weave Ghana Limited to train and recruit 2,000 youth.

The partnership aims to provide practical training and job opportunities for the youth in the country, particularly in the manufacturing and services sectors.

At the meeting on Tuesday, July 8, Mr Basintale said, “I have gone through the MoU and I'm sure you have gone through it too, and I think it's fine.”

The wholly Ghanaian company manufactures synthetic hair products and provides services such as hair fashion as well as hair care, which is imported from its sister company in Nigeria.

Head of Human Resources at Weave Ghana Limited, Rose Marison, in her submission stated that “Because we have a factory in Ghana, we are happy to create the opportunity for employment, especially for the youth.”

As of 2023, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported that the national youth unemployment rate for young adults of 15-24 years was about 32.8 percent and in this age category, the average unemployment rates were much higher in some of the northern regions, with the Upper East region having 39 percent, the Savannah region 38.2 percent, and the North East 34.7 percent.

In the first half of 2025, the YEA has partnered with several institutions and companies to provide more job opportunities to the Ghanaian youth.

In April this year, the agency entered a one-year agreement with SoccaBet Ghana to create 500 job placements. Also, the YEA, in partnership with the Ghana Fire Service, will recruit 5,000 young Ghanaians as fire assistants across the country.

The YEA and the Ghana Police Service have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to recruit 12,000 young individuals across the country to serve as Community Police Assistants (CPAs).

Speaking at the signing ceremony in May at the Ministry of Interior, Mr Malik Basintale noted that the government's priority is not solely about creating job opportunities but "involving our youth in building safer communities.

In the same month, Chief Executive Officer of SHAXI—a ride-hailing platform set up in 2021—Charles Nii Armah entered a youth employment partnership with the agency to create thousands of jobs for Ghanaian youth who remain unemployed or seek better job opportunities.

As part of this collaboration, YEA will support the first 2,000 vehicles that subscribe to the SHAXI platform with GHC500 worth of fuel coupons every month for six months.

"This bold move is designed to ease the operational cost for drivers and encourage more youth participation in the transport business," YEA noted.

In March this year, Mr Basintale announced plans to create 100,000 new jobs for Ghanaian youth through the creation of new mobile applications. Mr. Basintale clarified that each app has a unique purpose and is meant to serve different needs.

“The first app is specifically for artisans and skilled workers such as plumbers, carpenters, tailors, masons, and electricians. This platform will make it easier for individuals and businesses to connect with professionals, both locally and internationally,” he posted on Facebook.

According to Mr Basintale, the app for artisans is being developed through a public-private partnership (PPP).

The second app, he said, is YEA’s own Job Centre, which will link job seekers with employers across various industries. Unlike the first app, which focuses on artisans, the Job Center will serve a wider range of job seekers.

“This app will be easy to use, so anyone in Ghana can search for jobs without needing IT expertise,” Mr Basintale assured.

He also stressed that YEA will bear no cost for the creation of the apps, addressing concerns about potential financial burdens on the agency.