UGBS Dean Prof. Justice Bawole Leads the Development of Youth Sensitivity Analysis Policy to Track Government Promises
The Dean of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Prof. Justice N. Bawole, has led the development of a Youth Sensitivity Analysis (YSA) policy aimed at ensuring that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) delivers on its youth-focused promises. Launched by the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), the policy is designed to serve as a critical reference point when the 2025 national budget is presented.
Speaking at a press briefing to launch the policy, Prof. Bawole, the lead consultant on the project, presented key findings from the study underpinning the policy framework. He highlighted a significant lack of specificity and measurable commitments within political party manifestos, which often undermines the ability to hold governments accountable. “A lot of times, political parties give vague promises, making it hard to hold them accountable. They say, ‘we will provide X amount of this,’ but they do not tell us when or how long it will take to deliver. This makes it easy for them to evade responsibility.” He explained.
Prof. Bawole further spoke about the importance of institutionalising commitments to youth within state agencies rather than leaving them under the control of party structures. He explained that this would ensure continuity of youth policies across successive governments and minimise disruptions caused by political transitions. “There have been cases where district executives have no idea who is behind certain government projects. Some contracts are awarded from Accra without any local oversight, leading to frequent policy discontinuities when governments change.” He said.
He indicated that the policy framework incorporates several mechanisms to track and assess government performance on youth-related policies. “The policy framework includes tracking budget allocations to ensure manifesto promises are backed by actual financial commitments. It also monitors project execution to avoid policy abandonment when governments change.” He noted.
Board Secretary of the Youth Bridge Foundation, Ms. Mawuena Azumah, explained that Youth Accountability Core teams have been established across the country to track manifesto commitments against actual budgetary allocations and policy implementation. She also emphasised that the Youth Accountability Core will monitor government spending on youth initiatives to ensure that allocated funds are used appropriately and not misdirected.
The Youth Sensitivity Analysis policy provides a framework for assessing whether political parties effectively integrate youth concerns into their manifestos and, more critically, whether they deliver on those commitments. It further defines measurable indicators to assess government performance on youth-focused initiatives. There is also an I-Accountability Project to empower young people to monitor and report on the government’s progress in fulfilling its manifesto promises.