Nabco

Trainees of the now-defunct Nation Builders Corps (NABCo) are urging the government to settle their outstanding nine-month arrears, which have been pending for over a year since the program’s conclusion. Just recently, NABCO made it clear on its official Facebook page that the 5 out of the nine months arrears owed them will be paid soon. Following this, nothing has been heard about the patent. NABCO trainees want to the arrears to be paid in February.

Eric Takyi, National Spokesperson of the former NABCo Trainees Association, revealed that despite multiple appeals through letters to the Ministry of Finance, the Vice President’s office, and the NABCo office, they have not received any response regarding their demand.

Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Thursday, February 8, Takyi expressed disappointment, stating, “Government has not paid us the nine months arrears. It is very sad and very terrible, that there has not been any official communique from any government official, we have written a number of letters or petitions to the NABCO office, to the office of the Vice president, and Ministry of Finance and there has not been been any official communication as to when NABCo beneficiaries are going to be paid. They have also not explained what has necessitated the delay in payment of these allowances.”

The NABCo program, which aimed to address graduate unemployment, officially concluded on Thursday, September 1, 2022, after initially being planned for three years and later extended by one year.

Despite the conclusion of the program, the NABCo Secretariat conveyed appreciation to all trainees, highlighting the value of their time and experience gained. Trainees were encouraged to consider entrepreneurship through the YouStart initiative as a career option.

However, the trainees are still awaiting clarification and payment for their outstanding stipends, as promised in the communication from the NABCo Secretariat.

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In his 2022 Mid-year Budget Statement presented on July 25, 2022, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced the completion of the NABCo program by September 1, 2022. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs and promoting job creation through various initiatives.

The NABCo program aimed to provide temporary employment for unemployed graduates, enhance their skills for transition into permanent employment, improve public service delivery, and promote access to basic public services.

Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) trainees will soon receive 5 out of 9 months arrears owed them. This was confirmed by the NABCO officials on Friday, 2nd February, 2024. Currently, government owes each NABCO beneficiary a total of ¢6,300.

This comes weeks after the trainees staged a series of pickets to express their displeasure. The first Nabco trainees had contracts that expired in October 2021, but the government asked them to stay until it (government) could pay their overdue allowances and find them a job.

According to some Twitter users, life has been unbearable, a development they say has affected their standards of living and family welfare.

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Some also blamed the government for abandoning them, adding that they have been “perishing in extreme hunger and deprivation. It could be recalled in February this year that the trainees embarked on a demonstration to compel the government to address their grievances

The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, once urged calm among the personnel and assured them that government is taking steps to resolve the issue.

“If they have been on the programme for three years, two or a year, and they have been paid all these years with five months outstanding; then there is an issue, have patience.”

“I believe the government has heard them, and if we are not talking about a year or six months allowance and it is five, obviously it will be worked on, and you will be paid,” he assured.

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About NABCo

NABCO was introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led administration in 2017 as part of measures to address graduate unemployment in the country.

The initiative was run under seven modules namely; Educate Ghana, Heal Ghana, Feed Ghana, Revenue Ghana, Digitize Ghana, Enterprise Ghana, and Civic Ghana.

The programme is a government initiative that was created to address the graduate unemployment to solve social problems in the country. The 36-month programme has three phases – six-month probation, 24-month work placement and six months exit preparation.

The scheme currently operates through seven modules: Educate Ghana, Heal Ghana, Feed Ghana, Revenue Ghana, Digitise Ghana, Civic Ghana and Enterprise Ghana.