GARYN calls for accountability of Coronavirus ‘Obaatanpa’ Alleviation Fund

The Greater Accra Regional Network (GARYN), in commemoration of International Youth Day, is calling on the government to deepen accountability of the COVID-19 ‘Obaatanpa’ Alleviation fund by providing a breakdown of how the fund has been utilized to benefit the youth and vulnerable groups of Ghana.

The Network as a matter of priority wants the government to organize a quarterly stakeholder’s engagement with recognized youth groups to explain the modalities in accessing and spending of the COVID-19 alleviation fund by the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

The COVID-19 global health emergency and its economic and social impacts have disrupted nearly all aspects of life for all groups in society.

People of different ages, however, young people are experiencing its effects in different ways. For young people, and especially for vulnerable youth, the COVID-19 crisis poses considerable risks in the fields of education, employment, mental health, and disposable income.

Moreover, while youth and future generations will shoulder much of the crisis's long-term economic and social consequences, their well-being may be superseded by short-term economic and equity considerations.

To alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, return the country to a sustainable road of stable growth, and build a stronger, more durable, and transformed economy, the Ghanaian government initiated the GH¢100 billion Ghana CARES “Obaatanpa” Initiative, a three-and-a-half-year holistic programme.

However, Research conducted by Youth Empowerment for life (YEFL), to ascertain the impact of the utilization of the initiative for the youth (18-30) and vulnerable in the Ghanaian society in two regions namely the Greater Accra Region and the Northern, revealed the government has given a little account on COVID related expenditure in its fiscal data.

The Greater Accra Regional Youth Network is commending the government for setting up the Funds but is worried that its implementation has faced substantial challenges especially its accountability component.

As a result, the Network is calling on the government to put in measures to deepen accountability of the COVID funds with the following ask;

1. We are calling on the Auditor General’s to conduct a special audit into the COVID-19 fund both the CARES and voluntary fund. This will help give a holistic picture of how the funds have been used since inception.

2. Secondly, we request for an automated COVID-19 Alleviation fund accountability system, especially targeting young people and the vulnerable. The system could give a real-time breakdown of the fund similar to the number of cases recorded on daily basis or an expansion of the information on the quarterly fiscal data on COVID-related expenditure by the Ministry of Finance.

The Greater Accra Regional Network wishes to express its gratitude to the government for its swift response in reporting the increasing number of cases of Covid 19 and procuring vaccines for the citizens of the country.

It is our hope keeping accountability on the COVID fund will contribute to reduced perception of mismanagement and increase trust in government trust in managing the funds and promoting good governance.