Staff of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) across the country are crying out in pain and frustration as they continue to endure months of unpaid salaries, pushing many into unbearable hardship. The affected workers, who were officially made permanent staff on December 1, 2024, say they have not received any salary since their confirmation, leaving them “dying of hunger” and unable to cater for their families.
According to the aggrieved employees, some of whom have served between two and eight years under contract before their permanent appointment, the situation has become unbearable. They claim that despite their unwavering dedication to duty and their crucial role in sustaining the operations of the agency, their livelihood has been reduced to uncertainty and despair.
Speaking on behalf of the distressed staff, Mr. Osei Yaw Akoto, their spokesperson, lamented that the long wait for salaries has left many unable to meet basic needs such as food, transportation, rent, and school fees for their children. “We have been working tirelessly with the hope that our new permanent status would bring stability, but the opposite has happened. For ten months now, we haven’t received a dime. Some of us are literally starving,” he said with deep frustration.
Mr. Akoto further disclosed that the situation has led to emotional distress and mental breakdowns among the workers. In one tragic instance, one of their colleagues allegedly attempted to take his own life due to extreme financial hardship. “We are all traumatized by what our colleague went through. This is no longer just a financial issue — it is now a humanitarian crisis. People are suffering silently, and we fear that more lives could be lost if nothing is done urgently,” he added.
The group noted that they had previously met with the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Mr. Malik Basintaly, who assured them that all outstanding salaries would soon be paid. However, several weeks after the promise, no payment has been made, deepening the frustration of the workers who say they are now losing faith in the system.
Many of the affected staff say they are compelled to borrow money just to survive each day, while others rely on the benevolence of friends and family to make ends meet. “Some of us can’t even afford to transport ourselves to work anymore. Yet we still show up because we believe in serving our country. But how long can we keep doing this without pay?” one worker questioned tearfully.
The workers are therefore calling on the government, particularly the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, to step in immediately to address their plight. They emphasized that their dedication to national service should not be repaid with neglect and hunger.
“This is a national disgrace,” another employee stated. “We are working under the Youth Employment Agency — the same institution that is supposed to help address unemployment among the youth — yet we, the very people running it, are suffering the worst form of neglect.”
Observers say the YEA salary crisis reflects broader challenges within public sector financial management and accountability. Analysts have urged the agency to prioritize staff welfare and transparency in its operations, arguing that workers cannot be expected to perform effectively under such harsh conditions.
As the situation continues to worsen, the affected YEA staff are appealing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to intervene personally to ensure the immediate release of funds for their long-overdue salaries. They say their patience has run out and that if the issue is not resolved soon, they may have no choice but to withdraw their services.
For now, the cry of YEA staff remains loud and clear — “We are dying of hunger; pay us what we have worked for.”
