The Federation of African Youth Development (FOAYD) has described the 2026 budget for the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment as a failure that does not address the needs of over 13 million young Ghanaians.
In a press statement issued for immediate release, the Executive Director of FOAYD, Abdul Rauf Abugri Mumuni, said he reviewed the budget with “deep disappointment” and accused government of disconnecting spending from the real needs on the ground.
According to him, the budget is characterized by three major failures.
Wasteful Spending
First, Mr. Mumuni alleged that the budget is full of wasteful and unnecessary spending. He cited bloated administrative costs, claiming over $1.04 billion under the National Service Authority alone is going into special allowances and honorariums.
He further claimed that millions are being spent on foreign travels, per diems, and workshops for officials, while vague budget lines such as “Unspecified Policy” and “Unspecified Operations” hide millions with no transparency. He added that too much money is going to consultants and awards instead of direct support for youth businesses and jobs.
No Funding For Youth Groups
Second, FOAYD raised concern that there is no direct budgetary allocation for national youth groups in Ghana.
“These independent youth organizations are the real stakeholders who mobilize young people at the grassroots, yet they have been completely ignored,” the statement said.
The organization noted that even the Ghana Youth Federation (GYF), which it says is legally mandated to be the apex body for all youth in Ghana, has been dormant and ineffective since 2025, with no capacity to support grassroots groups.
“By not funding these groups, government is shutting young people out of governance,” Mr. Mumuni stated.
Leadership Failure At GYF
Third, FOAYD pointed to what it calls leadership failure within the Ghana Youth Federation itself.
“The President of the GYF and his executives have completely failed the youth they claim to represent. Instead of organizing, engaging, and advocating for grassroots youth groups, they are more interested in media appearances, granting TV interviews, and making lofty speeches without any real action on the ground,” the statement alleged.
FOAYD claimed the GYF leadership has not made any genuine effort to consult or engage with authentic youth leaders across the country.
Demands Overhaul
In conclusion, FOAYD said youth development funds in the 2026 budget are “going in the wrong direction, enriching a few through opaque channels while leaving ordinary youth unemployed and hopeless.”
The Federation is demanding an immediate overhaul of how youth funds are allocated, transparent tracking of every cedi spent, and direct financial support for functional, independent youth-led groups.
“Ghanaian youth deserve real action, not political theatre,” Mr. Mumuni said.
