In collaboration with the Ghana Prisons Service, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has started educating more than 500 individuals to become Prison Office Assistants (POA) at the Prison Officers' Training School in Ankaful.

The staff members who are undergoing training are among the more than 2000 young men and women who are being sought out nationwide to assist the Prison Service in carrying out its mission of rehabilitating inmates into socially acceptable personalities conducive to reintegration and cohabitation in society.

At the opening ceremony on Friday, 25 November 2022, the Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) of YEA, Alhaji Bashiru Ibrahim, speaking on behalf of the CEO, Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong, admonished the trainees to show commitment, dedication and love for mother Ghana as they go through training to become part of one of the highly-rated disciplined institutions, the Ghana Prisons Service.

"Many a time, we look down on our prisons as a place where condemned members of society are kept. Inasmuch as it may appear so, there is an arduous responsibility on us to help change these persons into new characters suitable for conducive cohabitation in society. Today, a modern prison is not just a place for custody but a place to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate social deviants back into society. I understand that this training is tailored to achieve just that", Alhaji Bashiru quoted.

He further assured them of YEA’s novel arrangement with the leadership of the Ghana Prisons Service, to absorb all Prison Office Assistants into their mainstream service, after they have successfully served their two (2) years contract with the YEA as part of the exit plan.

The exit plan is a super strategy instituted by the management of YEA to find permanent jobs for the beneficiaries.

On behalf of the Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Director of Human Resources congratulated the new recruits for making it through all the processes that qualify them to participate in the training to become Prison Office Assistants of the Youth Employment Agency and the Ghana Prisons Service. He assured that the trainers would instil in the personnel maximum discipline, dedication and service to mother Ghana. As a key stakeholder of the Criminal Justice System of Ghana contributing to the maintenance of internal security by maintaining an efficient, humane, and safe reformatory penal system operated within the laws of Ghana, it is expected that the person will work with vigilance, fortitude, and integrity while helping in the reintegration of ex-convicts into society.

Speaking to the media, the Central Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency, Sarah Afful, stated that the second batch of recruits is expected to begin training after successful application and shortlisting.

Providing decent and sustainable jobs is the focus of the vision of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for the youth of this country. The YEA will continue to provide a smooth vehicle to produce the desired result.