The Ghana Chamber of Youth Entrepreneurs (GCYE), in collaboration with several youth development organizations, has petitioned the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment over the absence of a dedicated annual budgetary allocation for youth empowerment activities.
Leading the delegation, Chief Executive Officer of GCYE, Sheriff Ghali, expressed concern about inconsistencies in the release of funds earmarked for youth development. He revealed that although a 5% budgetary allocation is expected to be channeled through District Assemblies, these funds are often not disbursed as intended.
According to Mr. Ghali, the situation has worsened this year, as the allocation was reportedly omitted from the assembly budget submitted to Parliament — a development he described as “a big error.”
He further highlighted the growing unemployment crisis among young people, citing a recent recruitment exercise where over 500,000 youth reportedly competed for just 5,000 positions in the security services. He noted that such trends underscore the urgent need for sustained investment in youth empowerment initiatives.
“The youth of Ghana should not, at any time, have to beg for what is rightfully due them,” Mr. Ghali stated.
He added that failure to adequately fund key institutions such as the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) reflects poorly on government efforts toward youth development.
The GCYE and its partners are therefore calling on government to direct the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Administrator to return to Parliament with a revised allocation formula that includes dedicated funding for NYA and YEA.
Mr. Ghali emphasized that the petition is aimed at securing a better future for Ghanaian youth and ensuring their meaningful contribution to national development.
