By Sandra Agyeiwaa OTOO
The Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) in partnership with the STAR-Ghana Foundation and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has launched a policy brief analysing the manifestos of major political parties in Ghana’s 2024 elections.
The report assesses whether promises of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Movement for Change (M4C) align with youth aspirations and aims to strengthen accountability mechanisms.
The study reviewed key documents including the African Union (AU) Youth Charter, ECOWAS Youth Policy, Ghana’s National Youth Policy (NYP) and concerns raised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). The findings revealed that all three parties addressed youth-related issues, focusing on employment, education, entrepreneurship and governance participation.
However, the report noted significant gaps in implementation strategies and sustainable funding mechanisms.
Dean-University of Ghana Business School and a consultant on the project, Professor Justice Nyigmah Bawole, highlighted that the party manifestos align well with national and international youth aspirations – but stressed the need for proper execution.
“The political parties and NDC in this case have the party in power now; their manifesto clearly aligns with aspirations of the youth as expressed in the national youth policy; and so the next thing we need to do is see the extent to which these get implemented; whether the promises that were made in the manifesto which were clearly aligned with the national youth policy get rolled out,” he mentioned.
According to the report, the NPP’s manifesto prioritises job creation, digital skills training and governance inclusion – with key initiatives like Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills training, a digital economy hub and employment programmes. However, concerns remain about equitable access to these opportunities – especially for marginalised groups.
The NDC’s manifesto also emphasises youth entrepreneurship and rural development through programmes like the ‘Adwumawura Programme’ for youth-led businesses and Youth Innovation and Industrial Parks (YIIP). It also proposes a dedicated Ministry for Youth Development. While these initiatives hold promise, their success depends on transparent funding, accessibility for rural youth and private sector collaboration.
The Movement for Change’s Great Transformational Plan (GTP) promotes entrepreneurship, skills development and employment in agriculture, manufacturing and small enterprises. Programmes like ‘Operation Own a Farm’ and climate-smart training aim to engage youth in agribusiness while supporting creative industry careers and digital literacy.
Prof. Bawole said despite these commitments, the YBF report highlights a common shortcoming: lack of strong mechanisms for youth participation in policy implementation and monitoring.
“The regimes are different; our regime was one of demonstrations in the university – so those of you who have followed youth activity in the past, it was a lot more of demonstrations, debating government, calling government out and making sure that we block parliament. I was part of the Mobrowa demonstration, where we went and picketed at parliament, blocked the gates and all of that. At some point, we got beaten a bit,” he revealed.
“Today the young people have other avenues; we don’t see a lot of young people advocating by using those kinds of old methodologies. Social media has given young ones of today so much power; and if you follow the conversations that happen today, for example in Kenya and in our own country…the various demonstrations that came, you will see that those were driven largely by means of social media advocacy,” he added.
Board Secretary-Youth Bridge Foundation’s (YBF) Youth Advisory Board, Mawuena Azumah, said: “Following the launch of this policy brief, we have already set up a youth accountability call that will be spearheading the Youth Bridge Foundation’s fight for accountability; basically, tracking government to ensure they stay accountable for their promises to Ghanaian youth.
“Already, the NDC has fulfilled one of its campaign promises, which is setting up and decoupling the Ministry of Youth and Sport. However, there is still a long way to go. There are still several campaign promises to be accomplished. So we are going to do the tracking or monitoring according to the policy brief we have set up. In addition, if you look at it, the policy brief focuses on campaign promises from the National Democratic Congress. Therefore, that is what we are going to be looking at. The policy brief promises of the NDC will see youth at the forefront of seeking accountability,” she added.
Ms. Azumah said the Youth Bridge Foundation plans to engage policymakers before the national budget is read, advocating for youth-centred policies and funding.
“So basically, like we’ve already been saying, we are holding the NDC accountable to the promises they made in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. We are an organisation that believes in engagement, believes in dialogue; so even before the budget is read, we are going to engage key policymakers about what we are looking out for. And then, like you were saying, if it’s not reflected then we are going to dialogue further to see the necessary steps that we can take to ensure youth voices are heard and youth concerns are addressed,” she concluded.
A Central University student, Eric Sapey, emphasised the need for inclusive systems that empower all young people, including those with disabilities, to engage in decision-making and hold leaders accountable.
“Today’s event is significant for youth and youth with disabilities as we get involved in governance and accountability. We have been involved in the making of this policy brief from its inception; thus, it is not just a policy document but a representation of our voices, aspirations and concerns as we envisage a Ghana where every young person, regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability or background, has equal opportunities in all spheres of life,” Mr. Sapey mentioned.
“I stand here not as a symbol of disability but as proof of the power and value of inclusion. As youth and youth with disabilities, we are not asking for favours; we are asking for an inclusive system that recognises our value and creates opportunities for our engagement and participation,” he added.
He appealed for media to “carry the message of our concerns and voices beyond these walls” and urged youths to leverage the policy to shape and inform grassroots accountability strategies.
