Accra, Ghana | 19 March 2026
The Ghana Youth Federation (GYF) has taken note, with deep concern and strong objection, of the exclusion of key youth-focused statutory institutions from the 2026 District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocation formula.
This omission is not technical. It is not administrative. It is a direct contradiction of Ghana’s legal framework, policy commitments, and national priorities on youth development, employment, and stability.
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and the National Youth Authority (NYA) are not optional institutions. They are creatures of statute, established by Acts of Parliament with clear mandates to deliver employment, skills development, and youth empowerment at scale.
Critically, these institutions already have statutory backing and established allocation expectations under Ghana’s public financing architecture, including the DACF. Their exclusion therefore undermines both law and policy.
Yet, within a national DACF allocation of approximately GHS 8.7 billion, there is no defined, ring-fenced funding for either institution. No allocation to the NYA and YEA. This is a fundamental policy failure.
At a time when youth unemployment remains one of Ghana’s most urgent national challenges, this decision exposes a dangerous disconnect between government commitments and actual resource allocation.
The recent surge in mass applications for limited security service recruitment is not incidental. It is a clear signal of systemic pressure, driven by limited opportunities and underfunded youth support systems. Ignoring this reality does not reduce the risk. It escalates it.
OUR DEMANDS
1. Immediate Review of the 2026 DACF Formula
Government must urgently revise the DACF formula to include clearly defined, ring-fenced allocations to the NYA and YEA before disbursement begins.
2. Policy Alignment at the Highest Level
The Office of the President must ensure immediate coordination between the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Ministry of Finance, and the DACF Administrator to align funding decisions with national youth policy.
The Ghana Youth Federation calls:
- On H.E. the President to intervene decisively and correct this omission
- On the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament to activate oversight on DACF allocation policy
- On all Honourable Members of Parliament to exercise their constitutional mandate to protect youth interests
Ghana cannot claim to priorities its youth while systematically excluding them from one of the country’s most critical development funds.
This is not sustainable, not economically, not socially and not politically.
The Ghana Youth Federation will pursue all legitimate constitutional and civic avenues to ensure that the youth of Ghana receive their rightful share of national development financing.
