Youth Groups Demand Accountability as Gaps Emerge in Government’s Youth Commitments

Civil society organizations (CSOs) and youth advocates are intensifying calls for government accountability over unfulfilled youth-focused commitments, warning that slow and partial implementation of education, skills development, and employment interventions risks undermining Ghana’s youth development agenda.

At a Youth Accountability Forum convened by the Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition, youth leaders and policy advocates scrutinized government performance against its own manifesto promises, raising concerns about the pace, scope, and inclusiveness of interventions targeted at young people.

The forum held on Thursday December 18  2025 ,organized in partnership with the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) and supported by OXFAM Ghana and ActionAid Ghana, served as a platform for tracking progress and exposing gaps in delivery under the theme “Tracking Commitments and Shaping Tomorrow.”

Speaking at the forum, Solomon Okai, Programs Manager at FOSDA, noted that despite ambitious campaign pledges outlining more than 100 youth-centered initiatives, only a limited number have so far been implemented.

“Accountability does not end with campaign promises or policy announcements,” Mr. Okai said. “If youth-focused interventions are not critically monitored, we risk celebrating intentions rather than outcomes.”

He argued that government must be held to account using its own benchmarks and timelines, adding that the coalition intends to publish periodic assessments to measure the real impact of youth-related policies.

Adding his voice, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) and Convener of the Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organizations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cautioned against calls for patience that delay scrutiny.

“Some argue that it is too early to demand accountability, but accountability must begin from day one,” Dr. Wemakor stated.

“While there are signs of progress, there is still a long road ahead, and young people cannot afford to wait.”

He emphasized that youth empowerment cannot be achieved through fragmented or selective implementation of promises, urging government to adopt a holistic approach that prioritizes equity, inclusion, and measurable outcomes.

“Promises alone will not create jobs, build skills, or expand access to quality education. What matters is delivery—consistent, inclusive, and transparent delivery,” he added.

Participants at the forum also raised concerns about weak coordination among youth groups and limited civic engagement, factors they say have reduced pressure on decision-makers.

Organizers stressed that strengthening youth unity and sustained advocacy is critical to influencing policy direction.

The event, which received national media coverage from GHOne TV, forms part of a broader strategy by civil society actors to shift youth engagement from symbolic participation to structured accountability and evidence-based advocacy.

As Ghana continues to position young people at the center of its development narrative, youth groups insist that credibility will ultimately be measured not by policy declarations, but by tangible improvements in the lives of young people.

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