The National Youth Authority (NYA) and Youth Employment Agency (YEA) have been left out of the 2026 District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), raising concerns over youth unemployment and national development priorities.
In a statement issued on Thursday, March 19, the Ghana Youth Federation (GYF) described the omission as a “fundamental policy failure” that directly contradicts Ghana’s legal framework.
GYF President Sherif Ghali stressed that these statutory institutions, tasked with skills development and job creation, cannot be treated as optional. “Their exclusion undermines both law and policy,” he said.
The Federation highlighted recent mass applications for limited security positions as evidence of mounting pressure on the job market, warning that sidelining youth programs in national funding only escalates systemic risks.
“Ghana cannot claim to prioritize its youth while systematically excluding them from one of the country’s most critical development funds,” the statement added.
The GYF called for an immediate revision of the DACF formula to include dedicated funding for the NYA and YEA, mandatory investment in youth programs by all MMDAs, and direct intervention from the Office of the President to ensure coordination between the Ministry of Finance and DACF administrators.
Parliament was also urged to exercise oversight, with the Federation pledging to pursue “all legitimate constitutional and civic avenues” to secure funding for Ghana’s youth.
Credit: Mavis Fantevi
