Gov’t rejected GYEEDA payment claims of over GH¢34 million in 2017

iWatch Africa can confirm that the Audit Service rejected liability claims of GH¢34,017,015.00 presented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) as monies owed defunct agency Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA).

Documents reviewed by iWatch Africa indicates that the said amount was supposedly owed to thirty-four companies for various services provided as at 31 December, 2016; but the ministry failed to provide relevant documentations to the Auditor-General arguing that the records could not be traced.

The claim of GH¢34,017,015.00 was however rejected by the Auditor-General.

GYEEDA, a social intervention programme aimed at providing employable skills to the youth in the country recorded some shady deals in its hay days.

Background to GYEEDA corruption scandal

Some companies including waste and sanitation giant, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, IT company RLG, Better Ghana Management service limited, among others were contracted to render services under various modules for the GYEEDA programme; which metamorphosed from the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).

GYEEDA which was a public initiative targeted at youth development however failed to achieve its purpose as it was charaterised by shady deals and corruption related activities.

Following reports of siphoning of state funds, government in 2012 ordered for an investigation into activities of GYEEDA and subsequently terminated the contracts with the various companies.

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Former GYEEDA boss, Abuga Pele and Philip Assibit were later hauled before court for the various roles in the corruption in the programme.

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By Moro Seidu, Edited by Gideon Sarpong | iWatch Africa