Ferdinand  | PoliticsGhana | May 4|  YEA Partners Ghana Fire Service to Recruit 5,000 Youth as Fire Assistants in Nationwide Job Drive

In a major youth employment boost, YEA signs MoU with Ghana National Fire Service to recruit and train 5,000 young Ghanaians as Fire Assistants under a one-year agreement.

In a strategic move to tackle Ghana’s rising youth unemployment and enhance emergency response services, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has signed a one-year agreement with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to recruit 5,000 young people as Fire Assistants.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was officially signed on Friday, May 3, 2025, in Accra, with the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Malik Basintale, representing the agency. The Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment were also present at the signing ceremony, signaling strong government endorsement of the initiative.

The collaboration marks a significant step toward addressing two of Ghana’s pressing national challenges: youth joblessness and fire safety. According to the YEA, this initiative not only opens up job opportunities but also reinforces public institutions by providing much-needed human resources for disaster response.

In a press release, the YEA described the programme as part of its broader mandate to create sustainable job opportunities while contributing to national development. “This partnership underscores our commitment to empowering Ghanaian youth while strengthening public safety. Recruits will be equipped with relevant skills that will benefit them even beyond the duration of the programme,” the statement said.

Under the terms of the MoU, the Ghana National Fire Service will be responsible for training and supervising all recruits. Upon successful completion of their training, the new Fire Assistants will be deployed to various fire stations and operational units across Ghana’s 16 regions.

While the recruitment process has not yet been opened, the YEA has assured the public that details on eligibility, application procedures, and timelines will be communicated soon through its official platforms.

The GNFS has in recent years faced challenges with staffing, particularly in rural and high-risk areas. With increasing reports of fire outbreaks—ranging from domestic fires to market blazes—the need for more boots on the ground has become more urgent. The recruitment of 5,000 Fire Assistants is expected to help bridge that critical gap and provide quick response teams at the community level.

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This recruitment programme is also consistent with the YEA’s core operational model, which focuses on partnerships with public and private institutions to provide temporary employment and skill development for young people. The agency, which operates under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, has previously collaborated with other entities such as the Ghana Police Service, Forestry Commission, and the National Health Insurance Authority.

CEO Malik Basintale emphasized that while the positions may be temporary, the training and experience participants gain will make them more competitive in the job market. He encouraged young people to take advantage of the opportunity when recruitment officially begins.

“The youth are the backbone of our nation. We must create pathways for them not just to survive, but to thrive. This partnership with the Fire Service is one of several interventions we will be rolling out in 2025,” Basintale said at the event.

The Ministers present echoed similar sentiments, praising the inter-agency collaboration and promising continued support to ensure the programme’s success. They also highlighted how such initiatives align with Ghana’s national development goals, particularly those related to youth empowerment, job creation, and resilience in disaster management.

As the country prepares for another dry season—a time when fire incidents tend to spike—the timely deployment of these new Fire Assistants is expected to enhance community preparedness and response capacity.

Ghanaians are now awaiting further details on the application process, but optimism is high among the youth who see this as not only a job opportunity but also a meaningful way to serve their communities.