The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stated that $1million from the UN’s peace building fund that will go to the World Food Programme (WFP) has not gone down well with the Youth Alliance for Peace and Development (YAPAD).
A release signed by YAPAD supervising head, Bockarie Ensah, stated that, “as youth serving agencies [such] a laudable venture should co-opt the ideas and views of all concerned from the planning [to the] implementation stage, “ and alleged that, “unfortunately that was not the case.”
“The Centre for the Coordination of Youth Activities (CCYA) and partner youth organizations register [their] strong disapproval of the process,” the release stated.
YAPAD alleged that, “although there is a duly constituted steering committee on youth employment consisting of various stakeholders, none of [them] was consulted on the issue.”
The release highlighted that, “it is worth noting that the funds in question were tied to specific projects which can only be funded after going through an approval process spearheaded by the youth employment steering committee.”
“it is also evident that it were the inputs of young people during the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) discussions and the consultative conferences that led to the creation of the basket fund for youth…” stated the release.
Notwithstanding all the allegations made against UNDP, UNDP representatives have not yet come up with a statement.