Akufo-Addo’s YouStart program 'best of all time' - Titus Glover

Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Tema East and deputy minister of transport, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, has likened the Akufo-Addo government’s youth enterprise support program, YouStart, to a surprise attack on youth unemployment in the country.

In an interview on the sidelines of a political meeting that he attended in the northern part of the country, Mr. Titus Glover said YouStart can be likened to an atomic bomb against unemployment.

“If unemployment were to be a nation, the YouStart would be something like a big bomb that is coming against it in Ghana’s long war against unemployment and this atomic bomb has the potential to destroy it,” the former MP said.

The YouStart initiative, as captured in the 2022 Annual Budget would support youth-led enterprises with soft loans of up to GH¢50,000 to help start-ups, in particular by young graduates and school leavers and small businesses to expand.

It will also offer Starter packs (Soft loans tied to equipment acquisition) of up to GH¢50,000 for individuals and GH¢100,000 for associations and groups and a standardised loan package of between GH¢100,000 to GH¢400,000 at concessional rates for SMEs from financial institutions.

“When we start the implementation of YouStart, Ghanaian youth, especially graduates will have no excuse to be unemployed since the government will be available to give you money to start your own business. All that will be needed is a creative mind that can come up with actionable business ideas,” Mr. Titus Glover said.

According to him, “programs like YouStart are the reasons why Ghanaians must support the passage of the E-Levy since funds from the Levy will be used to fund suchlike programs.”

He added that, “the E-Levy is an essential tool to increase Ghana’s Tax to GDP from around 13% to 16% and above, and this will ensure that there is enough revenue to sustainably invest in entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure.”

Mr. Titus Glover is also aspiring for the NPP’s National Organizer position in the party’s upcoming national executives’ election. Before the interview, admirers and supporters of the former MP who had thronged the function, mobbed and chanted victory songs for him, indicating he will easily win.

Meanwhile, some NPP executives at the function who have vowed to vote for Titus Glover also appealed to their colleagues to vote for him because of his experience.

“also because this time around we want to prove that the NDC’s claim that we are an Akan party is false, electing somebody like Titus Glover, who is a Ga/Dangme, will demolish that NDC lie which has been allowed to fester for so long,” said Alhaji Mohammed, an NPP executive.