Accra: Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has called for predictable financing to implement Ghana's new decentralisation policy. He emphasized that adequate funding is crucial for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to provide essential services and transform decentralisation reforms into tangible development outcomes.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Ibrahim made this appeal during the opening of a two-day National Dialogue on Decentralisation and Responsive Governance in Accra. This event follows the Cabinet's approval of the National Decentralisation Policy Strategy Framework 2026-2030. He highlighted that the five-year framework, which aims to enhance accountability, citizen participation, and service delivery, would struggle to meet its goals without the necessary financial resources.
Mr Ibrahim pointed out the growing demands faced by MMDAs for infrastructure in sanitation, flood mitigation, and climate resilience, which call for stronger financial backing. Despite an increase in the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocation from GHS5.3 billion in 2025 to GHS8.7 billion in 2026, he noted that the 10 percent allocation for sanitation is insufficient to tackle the country's infrastructure and environmental issues.
The Minister urged the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders to provide additional resources through central government support and public-private partnerships to support the assemblies' internally generated funds. "Policy intent alone does not deliver clean toilets, safe water, or functioning drains," he asserted, underlining the need for financing alongside capacity building, planning, and accountability.
The dialogue, organized by the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC), gathered regional ministers, MMDCEs, traditional leaders, local government experts, development partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. It focused on the theme: 'Resetting Democratic Decentralisation for Accountable Public Service Delivery and Accelerated Local Development.'
Mr Ibrahim also announced that the Ministry had issued fee-fixing guidelines for 2026-2030 to establish transparent standards for fees, levies, and charges, enabling assemblies to boost internally generated funds without placing undue burdens on residents. He called for urgent investment in flood prevention, emphasizing that desilting and drainage works should be completed before the rainy season rather than waiting for flooding to release resources.
He concluded by assuring MMDAs of the Government's commitment to providing the necessary policy, fiscal, and oversight frameworks to fulfill their mandates. Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, echoed the call for adequate funding for decentralised structures, emphasizing its importance for deepening democratic decentralisation and enhancing local service delivery.
Mr Iddrisu proposed a gradual increase in the DACF from five to 7.5 percent, as outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto, suggesting that additional allocations could aid the devolution of health and education services locally. He advocated for the election of MMDCEs to strengthen democratic decentralisation, proposing a shift from the current appointive system to competitive elections.
Dr Gameli Hoedoafia, Executive Secretary of the IMCC, urged for a reset of Ghana's decentralisation system to prioritize democratic participation, accountable public service delivery, and accelerated local development. He cautioned against the framework becoming merely another policy document without effective implementation and called for a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to decentralisation. "Policy approval is not our finish line. It is our starting point. The real test now lies in coordination, effective implementation, and delivery," Dr Hoedoafia stressed.