GEA Ends Contracts of 218 BizBox District Coordinators

The Ghana Enterprises Agency has terminated the contracts of all 218 district coordinators serving the Business‑In‑A‑Box (BizBox) programme, sparking confusion and frustration among the affected staff.

The decision follows a series of internal memos circulated since August. The first memo, dated 27 August, reminded coordinators that their contracts were subject to annual renewal and performance assessment. A second memo, issued 27 October, indicated that the contracts had technically expired on 31 August 2025 and that management was still deliberating renewal.

On 3 December, a third communication instructed regional offices to ensure that outgoing coordinators cease reporting to work with immediate effect and to facilitate the onboarding of newly selected district coordinators.

“We have adhered to the contractual timelines set out in the BizBox framework,” said Margaret Ansei, chief executive officer of GEA. “The transition is aimed at strengthening the programme’s delivery while respecting the terms of engagement.”

Staff, however, expressed disappointment. “We received the notice abruptly and were not given a clear rationale,” remarked Kwame Mensah, a former district coordinator from the Ashanti Region. “Many of us have invested personal resources and time into the project.”

The BizBox project is a four‑year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and GEA, targeting 250 000 Ghanaian youth – 70 % women and 10 % persons with disabilities – by 2027. It aligns with the government’s goal of creating one million jobs for young people and its broader objective of building an entrepreneurial nation.

Through five pillars – Youth Skills Development, Access to Markets, Startup Kits, Youth Social Networks, and Institutional Strengthening – the programme provides training, mentorship, business formalisation and product certification to participants.

Analysts note that while the termination may cause short‑term disruption, it could allow GEA to restructure the coordination layer to improve efficiency. “A clear, outcome‑focused coordination structure is essential for scaling impact,” explained Nana Adjei, senior analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers Ghana.

The agency has not indicated whether any of the dismissed coordinators will be redeployed within other GEA initiatives. Officials promise to communicate further guidance in the coming weeks.

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