The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has pledged to protect young workers in Ghana by refusing to approve any job contracts that pay below the national minimum wage.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Mr Basintale said: “I will never sign any agreement that falls below the minimum wage. I cannot pay the Ghanaian youth less than that.”
He described substandard wages as both unfair and unacceptable, adding: “You can’t give someone a job and pay them so little that it doesn’t even last a few days. That’s not right.”
Mr Basintale expressed support for young people who decline poorly paid jobs, stating: “If the salary is 200 cedis and they say they won’t work, I understand them. I stand with them.”
He criticised what he referred to as “papa jobs” – low-paying roles that, in his view, fail to support a decent standard of living. “I have always said I’m against ‘papa jobs’. And I will repeat it as many times as needed,” he said.
The YEA boss stressed that any employment deal he signs must ensure a fair income for workers. “We’re not asking for huge amounts. Young people just want enough to live on – to afford three meals a day,” he said.
Mr Basintale also pointed to what he described as business-friendly policies under former President John Mahama’s leadership, crediting them with helping improve conditions for employers. He cited lower inflation, a stronger cedi, and reduced taxes as factors enabling businesses to offer better wages.
“When businesses make profit, they should be able to pay their workers properly. That is how we build a better country,” he concluded.
Source:gbcghanaonline
