The Minority Spokesperson on Employment, Richard Quarshigah, does not seem enthused with the engagement of some graduates under the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme rolled out by the Akufo-Addo-led government.
Hundred thousand graduates are said to have been enrolled onto the seven modules of the programme and are expected to be on a monthly allowance of GH₵700 for the next three years.
The recruits, who passed out Wednesday, October 17 at the Black Star Square in a fanfare graced by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, were encouraged to put in their best to help build a country they will be proud of.
Help build a nation you’ll be proud of – Prez tells NABCO recruits
But the Member of Parliament for Keta Constituency, Richard Quarshigah, thinks there is nothing worthy of praise for the programme.
Speaking on an Accra-based radio station on Wednesday, the MP stated categorically: “Clearly, [NABCO] is nothing to celebrate”, maintaining: “Those celebrating it are doing so out of mediocrity”.
Some beneficiaries of NABCO during Wednesday’s passing out ceremony
He explained that NABCO is not a novelty that deserves to be commended but carved out of the National Youth Employment Programme, which already existed.
The MP also questioned the authenticity of the 100,000 graduates the government claimed to have enrolled onto the programme.
He said he was surprised that the passing out ceremony was marked by a fanfare attended by the President and his vice, who promised Ghanaians jobs.
According to him, “this is nothing different so I cannot understand why the president who promised jobs want to be congratulated”.
Background
NABCO was launched by the president as part of government’s initiative to provide jobs for the country’s unemployed graduates.
The seven modules under NABCO are meant to help address the challenges facing the nation’s most pressing sectors while providing jobs to graduates who are unable to find jobs partly due to a ban on public sector employment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
They have been put on Civic Ghana, Revenue Ghana, Educate Ghana, Enterprise Ghana, Digitize Ghana, Heal Ghana and Feed Ghana modules of the programme.
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NDC NDC NDC...your witchcraft is beyond measure!!!!
So does it really mean no NDC member or sympathizer is rational? From the foot soldier, serial caller, MP, party executives at all levels, flag-bearers and who have you, how come none can ever make a sensible comment? At Kufuor's time the pressure was on SHS leavers so he introduced NYEP. You guys came and abused it till it nearly collapsed. Now at Nana's time your IMF conditionality has put the pressure on Tertiary leavers. He ingeniously introduces NABCO and you say what? The reality is that the beneficiaries are grateful, it will relieve their parents/guardians, make them start life with zeal and look into the future with hope and optimism. Ghana is working again. Long live Nana, long live the NPP and long live Ghana
But it was the NPP that brought the Youth Employment Programme (YEA). I think NABCO is an upgraeded version of the YEA. The YEA is for SHS graduates, whilst the NABCO is for university graduates that will prepare them for the bigger job market. I think the NPP has done very well to show this differentiation and to allow monkeys to play by their sizes. I don't want to think the NDC is bankrupt of ideas in the development realm of this country and very determined to denigrate any initiative proposed by the NPP. Let them bring fresh ideas for the development of the people and subsequently that of this country. But while we wait for the NDC ideas, allow Free SHS and NABCO to gather momentum.
Some banks pay their contract staff less than 700, yet they give them unbelievable targets to meet monthly.
Some of these politicians don't understand what it is for a graduate to get up in the morning and doesn't know to do, doesn't have money in the pocket, can't buy her/himself lunch, soap and other basic necessities, can't afford trotro fare, etc. I believe some of the graduates will make something out of this small opportunity.
You are right, there is nothing to celebrate because you did not introduce it. Thank you. We are wearing different eye glasses so we see differently. By the way what have you done to change the status of the people who voted for you and gave you to opportunity to speak loosely at radio stations? Have you done anything to improve their lifestyle?
This is what I call hollow criticism, which lacks substance, information, and reasoning conversant with the policy at stake. So far the gentleman has only made understatements without going further show why the policy is not worthy of praise. But I suffice it to say that, nobody is demanding praise. The President is showing his leadership skill by boosting up the NABCOs' moral to go and build their Nation, explicitly in strong rhetoric stressing his policy guidelines and vision. And yet men have lost their reasons. NDC as a political Party has a deficit in making informed criticism. This, I infer as being symptomatic of intellectual deficiency.
We will rather celebrate double salary, bus branding, GYEDA, SADA, Mahama ford bribe. This NDC greedy th.i.eves are now annoying. NDC must tell us one policy they will implement when they come to power.
HMMMMMM minority keeps ruining their fortunes each passing day. 100 thousand graduate getting a job and you guys are kicking against that. NDC MPs have no idea the humiliation and frustration people go through for not getting a job after university. If they had the slightest idea, they will keep their mouth shut. The over 100 thousand graduates cannot all be NPP. The NABCO guys should demonstrate against the NDC and match to the NDC party head office.
Hi Richard Coming from you is not news. There is no way any of your kind or stock will positively commend the program. But remember its the grass root that determines whether an intervention is good or bad. Continue to check the government let it be constructive suggestion.