We’ve been ‘swindled’ by NEIP - Shortlisted applicants threaten suit

The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) will soon be hit by lawsuits MyNewsGh.com has gathered as some beneficiaries in the Volta Region are complaining about neglect and discrimination on the part managers of NEIP.

“Close to a year now, we were selected as the finalists out of over 7000 applicants. We have waited and anytime we call the office line to solicit information on our money, the phone lines are always off”.

“We have signed a loan form with NEIP for our business to receive some boost but it all looks more like attempt to use our details to secure funding for others without our knowledge” some shortlisted applicants lamented to MyNewsGh.com.

Interrogating Vozbert Kofi Azumah one of the frustrated shortlisted applicant, he revealed he applied for funding to the tune of GHS64,000 to engage in “My Community Farm Project” an initiative that was supposed to support the community establish and own a community farm, something he has already started and the community has donated 80-acre land for implementation of the project.

“Despite the GHS64000 I applied for, we were made to understand that the number of shortlisted applicants are many (that is 1,530), hence a flat amount of Gh10,000 Will be given to us. We have waited for even this money but it never came after signing an agreement with them. I have been to the office to alert the CEO John Kumah that I haven’t receive funding and it’s evident in my engagement with him that they only sought to camouflage us”.

"I’m considering and exploring all available avenue and when it fails it’s obvious I may head to court” the frustrated young man revealed.

The young graduate said “I feel deceived, unfairly treated, used, and dumped by the officials from NEIP”.

“My Community Farm Project is aimed at bringing my rural folks together under one umbrella to own a community farm that will produce crops to feed this nation. In fact I believe in the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs program and this is our way to contribute to that project”, he stressed

The NEIP was formally launched as the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) under the former President John Mahama with the sole aim of supporting indigenous businesses and startups.

It was later rebranded as National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo with same objective and scope of operation.