The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has acquired over 10,000 electric motorcycles to support young Ghanaians in delivery services, in what marks one of the Agency’s most ambitious job creation interventions under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Malik Basintale.
The initiative is designed to provide interested Ghanaian youth with access to electric motorcycles for courier and delivery services, creating sustainable employment opportunities while promoting environmentally friendly transportation. Beneficiaries will be able to participate in the growing app-based delivery economy without the burden of high upfront capital costs.
Tackling youth unemployment
The intervention comes against the backdrop of Ghana’s pressing youth unemployment challenges. According to the YEA, the country’s overall unemployment rate stood at 13.1 percent in 2024, with youth unemployment among those aged 15–35 pegged at 22.5 percent. Each year, approximately 100,000 graduates complete tertiary education, yet only 10 percent are absorbed into the public sector.
Established under the Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 (Act 887), the YEA operates under the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment. Its core mandate is to oversee the development, coordination, supervision, and facilitation of job creation for the youth. The Agency works with private companies, NGOs, and development partners to provide training, job placement, and entrepreneurship opportunities for graduates, school leavers, women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
Basintale’s leadership and vision
Mr. Malik Basintale was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the YEA in January 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama. Upon assuming office, he pledged his commitment to creating more job opportunities as part of efforts to tackle the rising unemployment rate in Ghana. Since then, he has introduced several youth employment initiatives.
Under Basintale’s leadership, the YEA has signed strategic partnerships including a Memorandum of Understanding with Zacoal Company Limited to train 2,000 youth in sustainable charcoal production under the Waste-to-Wealth Project. The Agency has also collaborated with ride-hailing platform SHAXI to create thousands of jobs for Ghanaian youth. Additionally, the YEA has committed 150 electric vehicles to the SHAXI platform as part of efforts to tackle youth unemployment and accelerate the transition to cleaner transport solutions.
Economic and environmental impact
The electric motorcycle initiative aligns with the government’s broader agenda to promote green mobility. President Mahama has previously announced plans to introduce electric motorcycles on a hire-purchase scheme to eliminate the use of petrol and make the delivery business more profitable for young operators.
Industry observers note that electric motorbikes offer significant cost savings for riders. A delivery rider using an electric motorbike under a flexible payment arrangement reportedly earns about GH¢800 daily while paying GH¢399 weekly toward ownership of the bike. The electric motorbike is valued at GH¢37,000, but the payment structure allows riders to pay toward ownership over time while continuing to earn a living.
Commitment to youth empowerment
Mr. Basintale has consistently emphasised the Agency’s commitment to expanding employment opportunities for young people across Ghana. During engagements with regional staff, he noted that “every opportunity created, every young person empowered, and every initiative implemented contributes to national development”.
The YEA remains focused on introducing innovative interventions, strengthening partnerships, and improving operational efficiency to ensure that more young people across the country benefit from sustainable employment opportunities.
The electric motorcycle acquisition is expected to provide thousands of Ghanaian youth with a viable pathway to economic independence while contributing to the nation’s sustainable development goals. Interested youth are encouraged to apply through the official YEA website or visit regional and district YEA offices nationwide.
