Earlier today, 15th June 2022, The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) participated in a CSO stakeholder consultation on the new YouStart programme. YouStart is a Government of Ghana youth entrepreneur support initiative expected to tackle the youth employment challenge. It is expected to create at least 1,000,000 jobs for the youth over the next 3 years by building an entrepreneurial economy. Government has allocated GHS10billion for the initiative.
FOSDA was of the YouStart Framework must include an accountability component with a focus on both demand and supply approach. Our position is informed by the opaque nature of the implementation of previous similar initiatives and allocations such NEIP, YEA among others.
FOSDA also insisted that the programmes should have a monitoring mechanism that will indicate the exact total number of direct jobs per the regional allocations so that CSO can monitor and hold government accountable.
FOSDA and other CSOs participating were also concerned about selection of the project beneficiary and processes that will be put in place to ensure equal access to all and to avoid politicization of the initiative.
The youth represented by the National Network of Youth Groups also emphasized on the need to put in place mechanisms to safeguard YouStart beneficiaries from competitions from Multinationals Corporation so that they can also grow.
At the end of the engagement the CSOs including, OXFAM and FOSDA proposed to collate a CSO position on the YouStart program for consideration by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies that will implement the program.