The Youth Employment Agency (YEA), in partnership with the Ghana Police Service (GPS), has successfully trained and graduated 795 young people under the Community Protection Assistants (CPA) programme.

A passing-out ceremony for the latest batch took place at Ho Police Training School, Ho, Volta Region.

The event was attended by the volta regional minister, the deputy CEO, finance and administration at YEA, MMDCEs and personnel from security agencies.

The CPA programme was launched to reduce youth unemployment and support community policing efforts. It followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on May 19, 2025, between YEA and the GPS. The signing was witnessed by the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.

The programme targeted young Ghanaians aged 18 to 35. Participants were given basic training in policing and will now be deployed to communities across the country to assist the police and help maintain safety.

In the Volta, Eastern and Oti regions, 795 youth who have successfully completed their training have graduated and are now ready to serve their communities to help enhance effective police visibility.

The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, commended the recruits for their discipline and urged them to uphold professionalism in their new roles as frontline support in the fight against crime across the region.

"Now that the Volta region is becoming an investment destination, your passing out will help promote peace, law enforcement, security and provide job opportunities. You must be diligent and serve with commitment and dedication," he said.

"This graduation is a strong testament to our dedication to equipping Ghana’s youth with both opportunity and responsibility. These Community Protection Assistants are being strategically deployed to safeguard our communities while earning meaningful livelihoods," he noted.

Mr Gunu assured that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council was ready to provide all that was necessary to ensure effective police visibility and to protect lives and properties across the region.

Ms Prisca Sedinam Keteshie, Deputy CEO Finance and Administration at the Youth Employment Agency, in her remarks, noted that the initiative did not only provide jobs for young people but also complemented the Ghana Police Service in its mandate to safeguard communities.

"Today marks a pivotal moment in our national agenda to merge youth empowerment with public safety. These young men and women will be the bridge between the Ghana Police Service and our neighborhoods, fostering trust, peace, and collaborative security," she noted.

She urged graduates to serve with commitment, professionalism, dedication, integrity, ensuring they protected the good image of the police service.

The CPA module falls under YEA’s broader strategy to engage young people in roles that support the police in community policing efforts. Successful graduates serve an initial two-year contract with the agency, with the opportunity for absorption into the Ghana Police Service upon meeting the requisite standards.

On his part, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Wisdom Akorli, Volta Regional Police Commander, lauded the recruits’ dedication, noting they had been trained in ethics, community policing, client management, criminal law, traffic management, intelligence gathering, women’s rights, and physical drills.

He stressed that CPAs played a vital role in building trust between the police and communities, aiding in crime prevention, and assisting with educational talks, neighbourhood watch schemes, and public safety exercises.

Meanwhile, Mr Daniel Hamenu, Volta Regional Director of YEA, praised the graduates for their resilience, discipline, and commitment throughout the training period.

"My hearty congratulations to all of you and to the families, parents, and guardians who supported you in this journey to serve the nation," he said.

He expressed deep appreciation to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), William Yankey Acolatse, Commanding Officer of the Volta Regional Police Training School, for his hospitality and professionalism.

"Let me express my singular gratitude to the commanding officer for his cordial working relationship and dedication to this course," he stated.

"This is the second batch of the 12,000 passing out today across the training schools in the country," he noted.

He explained that CPAs served a two-year contract with YEA, after which those who met the Ghana Police Service’s requirements could be absorbed into the mainstream service.

"I expect you to demonstrate commitment, sacrifice, honesty, and dedication so that a good recommendation can be given about you," he advised.

"No amount of insubordination will be tolerated. Any CPA found engaging in acts that bring the agency or service into disrepute will be decisively dealt with," he cautioned.

The CPA model, one of YEA’s long-standing initiatives, was designed to engage youth in supporting the police to protect lives, maintain public order, and improve community safety. The agency targets the recruitment of 12,000 CPAs annually.

The Community Protection Assistants graduates will be deployed to communities across their respective regions to provide a critical link between the public and the police, reinforcing national efforts to protect lives and property.