CONFERENCE ON NATIONAL YOUTH BUDGET PROJECT Paper Presentation TOPIC: YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN BUDGET WORK BY: MR. KING KOJO SARFO DATE: 6 TH JUNE 2009

Ghana is undoubtedly counted among the world’s fledging democracies Article 19 of the international covenant on civil and political Rights establishes the right of individuals to “seek, receive and import information and ideas of all kinds regardless of frontiers”.

FOCUS OF THIS PAPER An examination of civic participation in budget work in Ghana. A discussion of youth in budget democracy

AREAS OF FOCUS The first part of the paper considers the “push” and “pull” effects of public availability of budget information. The last part discusses the involvement of the youth in the context of policy initiatives, public resource allocation and domestic accountability.

PUBLIC BUDGETS Public budgets are the instruments that government uses to set priorities. The budget is a very important policy document. It outlines the government’s expected revenue and proposed expenditure usually for one year period.

TENANTS OF AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC BUDGET Equity Transparency Accountability Participatory

An examination of civic participation in budget work in Ghana The “PUSH” effect: This refers to efforts by the government in ensuring transparency and accountability by providing comprehensive information on past, current and projected fiscal activities.

The “PULL” effect: This is the organised representation of citizen’s demand for accountability and transparency; often by civil societies and non-governmental organisations.

THE GHANAIAN BUDGETING SYSTEM: MAIN PLAYERS Government ministries, department and agencies (MDA’s) Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDA’s) Statutory bodies and institutions Non-governmental organisations Individuals and donors

CIVIL SOCIETY BUDGET WORK In Ghana, many civil society organisations have provided public platforms for budget work and conferences on the budgetary process in Ghana.

RECOMMENDATION FOR CIVIL SOCIETY BUDGET WORK An umbrella organisation should be formed for all civil society organisations in budget work to harmonize efforts. Resources should be made available to civil societies to enable them advance their objectives of promoting good governance

Additionally, with reference to the “push” and “pull” effects, the government; represented by the Ministry of Finance and civil societies in budget work should basically consider increasing the rate of participatory budgeting.

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING It is the process of direct democracy, universal and voluntary through which the population has the opportunity to discuss and to decide the budget and public policies.

YOUTH IN BUDGET DEMOCRACY The youth constitutes a greater percentage (33% as per the 2000 population census) of Ghana's population. Ghana’s annual budget operationalises government’s policy and has lots of impact on the youth.

It is very important to know that even though the youth constitute a critical mass of the population, they have no place in the economic space of Ghana. The interest of the youth are not adequately represented in the developmental agenda of Ghana

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS FOR YOUTH OF GHANA. As per the 2008 Budget Statement, the Grand total of MDA expenditure allocations for 2008 from statutory and discretionary sources- Gh¢1,552,563, Allocations to Ministry of Manpower Youth and Employment- Gh¢21,310,291. This is only 1% approximately of the total MDA allocations and represents about 0.3% of the total Government expenditure for 2009

As per the 2009 Budget Statement, the Grand total of MDA expenditure allocations for 2009 from statutory and discretionary sources- Gh¢1,484,589, Allocations to Ministry of Manpower Youth and Employment- Gh¢91,232, This is only 6% approximately of the total MDA allocations and represents about 0.9% of the total Government expenditure for 2009.

ARISE GHANA YOUTH Though future leaders of tomorrow, the GHANAIAN YOUTH are partners of today's development.

THANK YOU!