The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has dismissed claims that it spent GH¢9 million on turkey berry production, describing the allegation as false, misleading, and damaging to its reputation.
The Public Relations Officer, Abdul-Wahab Jawando, has denied the existence of such a programme, stressing that no funds have been committed or disbursed in relation to any turkey berry initiative under the agency.
It comes after allegations went viral on social media, with critics and opposition figures accusing the agency of wasteful spending at a time when thousands of Ghanaian youth remain unemployed and government institutions face mounting pressure to justify expenditures.
This is not the first time the agency has addressed the matter. Chief Executive Officer Malik Basintale had earlier stated that although a private company approached YEA with a proposal to train young people in processing turkey berries into products such as tea and spices, nothing came of it. “Their proposal included training about 2,000 individuals at a cost of GH¢4,500 per person. However, nothing has materialised from this plan, and no payments have been made. It has all been empty promises,” Basintale had said.
“Claims that YEA spent GHC 9 million on turkey berry production are entirely baseless and represent a calculated effort to damage the institution’s well-established reputation,” Jawando said.
“As of today, the Youth Employment Agency is not running any project or module related to turkey berry production, let alone spending GHC 9 million on it.”
YEA explained that the claim stems from a proposed programme in its 2025 approved budget aimed at training about 2,000 youth in turkey berry cultivation and value addition. The programme received approval in principle from the Ministry of Finance but was never implemented.
The Agency emphasized that no contracts were awarded, no training conducted, and no funds disbursed due to financial constraints.
YEA reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent use of public funds, and urged the public to disregard the misinformation
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