A training workshop on the concept of Decentralized Development Planning and Budgeting under Ghana’s decentralization policy for youth leaders has ended at Suhum.

The Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), a youth development non-governmental organization (NGO), organized the workshop which brought together 45 youth leaders from the Suhum and New Juaben Municipalities.

It was aimed at helping the youth acquire understanding of the local level planning and composite budgeting process, and to encourage citizen and non-state actors’ participation in the process.

Mr Ndinga Nborinyi, the Suhum Municipal Assembly Budgeting Analyst, said comprehensive and credible local government was essential for the smooth implementation of programmes and projects at the local level to improve the living conditions of Ghanaians.

He said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Local Government Service Secretariat, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and other stakeholders have polled resources together to improve the budgeting process of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Mr Nborinyi said decentralized development planning and budgeting encouraged MMDAs to take ownership of the development of their areas, taking charge of composite budget preparations, resource mobilization and execution of development projects at the local level.

He said in 2011 the MOFEP set up National and Regional Technical Working groups to coordinate, monitor and provide backstopping support to the District Composite Budget Committees to formulate and implement, for the first time, their Composite Budgets.

Mr Nborinyi urged all relevant stakeholders involved in the preparation and implementation of the MMDAs’ composite budget to be guided by the principles and steps outlined in the manual.

Mr Kwasi Osei-Mensah, the Suhum Municipal Planning Officer, said the implementation of the decentralization policy had contributed in making sub-district structures functional and promoted public hearing at district and sub-district levels in decentralized planning system.

He said the policy had some challenges such as lack of incentives for members of sub-district structures and lack of legislative framework for participatory planning and budgeting.

Mr Osei-Mensah called for active and effective participation of non-State actors in local government to help create awareness of the decentralization process.

Mr Seth Oteng, Executive Director of Youth Bridge Foundation, said the demographic dynamics of the country demanded that the interest of the youth be built and sustained for effective participation in policy planning and execution at all levels, with the District Assemblies offering a grooming platform for the youth.

He called on the government to create platforms to foster regular engagement with the youth and also urged the private sector and development community to deliberately institute initiatives to support youth development.

Mr Oteng urged the youth to develop interest in contributing to the development dialogue and processes of the country, seeing themselves as part of the solution and not part of the problem.

He commended the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for sponsoring the training programme and other workshops.

Mr David Appiah, a Governance Analyst of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Country Director, expressed their commitment to promote youth in decentralization process in Ghana and especially youth empowerment.

GNA