Ghana Developing Communities Association Commends Local Government Minister’s Commitment to DACF Timely Release

Tamale: The Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), an NGO, has welcomed and commended the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, for his commitment towards ensuring timely release of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and other governance issues. It said the commitment was a crucial step in promoting accountability, transparency and effective service delivery at the local level, which aligned with the GDCA's shared vision of fostering sustainable community development.According to Ghana News Agency, the commendation was in a statement issued by the GDCA signed by Alhaji Osman Abdel-Rahman, Executive Director, and copied to the agency in Tamale. During his vetting by the Appointments' Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Mr. Ibrahim highlighted how delayed releases of the DACF affected development and also electoral chances of successive governments.He then pledged to work closely with the incoming Administrator of the DACF, t he Minister of Finance and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Governance to ensure timely release of the DACF to resource the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to work. The DACF remains a critical tool for addressing pressing local needs, including development projects and social protection interventions.However, over the years, there have been delays in the release of the DACF to the MMDAs, which disrupt the effective delivery of services and undermine the developmental aspirations of MMDAs across the country. The statement said, "We believe that the Minister's commitment will provide the necessary momentum for improving fiscal decentralisation and ensuring that no community is left behind in the pursuit of national development."It said, "As an organisation committed to empowering communities, we are optimistic that the Minister's leadership will drive positive change, strengthen local governance and enhance collaboration amongst stakeholders." It urged the Minister to oper ationalise his commitment by working closely with relevant institutions to address bottlenecks in the disbursement process of the DACF.It also urged the government to come out with a formula to ensure equitable allocation of the DACF as such formula would transfer a higher share of DACF to poorer districts to support their development agenda. The statement said, "We also appreciate the Minister's focus on enhancing the functionality of District Audit Committees to address infractions in the auditing of MMDAs' accounts. We believe that efficient utilisation of resources at the MMDAs is a critical step towards sustainable development and effective local governance."It assured that "GDCA stands ready to support your efforts in any way we can to ensure that these initiatives yield meaningful outcomes for the good people of Ghana."