Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA), says Decentralisation remains a catalyst for national development, as it enables local authorities to address unique regional needs.
He said despite its importance, the decentralisation process had faced challenges, particularly with regard to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), which was constitutionally mandated to support local development initiatives. The Minister said it was essential that priority was attached to the effective utilisation of this fund to unlock the full potential of decentralisation and drive sustainable development.
Mr. Ibrahim was speaking during a courtesy call paid by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Financial Cooperation to the MLGCRA in Accra, to discuss ways to improve development in the local governance sector. The sector minister said President Mahama was currently undertaking initiatives to enhance decentralisation in Ghana by consolidating development authorities under the MLGCRA.
He said the President had pledged to allocate approximately 80 per cent of the DACF directly to the districts, empowering local authorities to address unique regional needs and priorities. “Clearly, as a responsible minister, I think if we are able to walk the talk, Ghana will be a different place altogether,” the Minister added. He said the Embassy’s contributions to Ghana’s decentralisation efforts had been significant and highly valued.
Mr. Ibrahim said the Government had previously identified certain services that required improvement, and that it was encouraging to see that stakeholders were now expressing satisfaction with the reforms and initiatives introduced by the President for revitalisation. He said this renewed commitment to decentralisation was a positive step towards empowering local authorities and promoting more effective governance.
Madam Franziska Jebens, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, said Ghana – German partnership of development cooperation meant a very long-standing friendship focal areas of development cooperation. “…these are decentralisation of local governments, energy efficiency and renewable energies, and also sustainable economic and development, especially with a focus on private sector business development,” she added.
She said the Embassy was pleased with the new visions shared by the Minister, particularly the emphasis on refocusing efforts to enhance the financial viability of the Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The Head of Cooperation said the Embassy welcomed the strengthened support, both technical and financial, for the MMDAs, as it was essential to meet the citizens’ needs for basic infrastructure and services.
“We anticipate that, with our support, Ghana’s Local Government Ministry will successfully achieve its goals of improving local conditions for citizens” “This will enable the more efficient, effective, and successful implementation of basic infrastructure and services,” she stressed.
Source: GNA
