Accra: Dr Esther Ofei Aboagye, a local governance expert, has urged Ghana to adopt bold reforms to make decentralisation a catalyst for equitable, responsive, and sustainable national development. She noted that while the country has demonstrated intent, it has lacked consistency, courage, timely reforms, and strategic thinking free from political and partisan influence.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Aboagye delivered a keynote lecture on the theme 'Decentralisation and Sustainable Local Development - How Thus Far' at the Second Annual Professor Kwamena Ahwoi Lectures. She outlined six strategic pillars for holistic local development. She first advocated enhancing the fiscal autonomy of Assemblies and tailoring the disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to reflect the capacities of individual districts.
Her second recommendation was to strengthen financial management within Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) by building capacity for local revenue mobilisation to ensure predictable and accountable funding. Dr Aboagye, who is also an international consultant, said continuous technical development was essential, urging MMDAs to invest in institutional and human capacity.
Dr Aboagye suggested establishing Region Technical Support Hubs to decentralise governance and employ inclusion initiatives to equip local authorities with the skills and resources to deliver effectively. She identified the fifth pillar as deepening democratic accountability through the election of District Chief Executives and reforming district-level elections, alongside strengthening oversight mechanisms for monitoring, accountability, and feedback.
Her final pillar focused on aligning development with sustainability by integrating climate resilience, supporting local economic growth, promoting green infrastructure, and fostering collaborative governance involving traditional and faith leaders.
Prof Lord Mawuko Yevugah, Coordinator of the Master's in International Relations and Diplomacy programme at GIMPA, highlighted the potential for local assemblies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as water, sanitation, women's empowerment, and basic education if they receive adequate financial resources. He underscored the importance of financial decentralisation, stating that policy makers need to focus on fiscal decentralisation to bring governance closer to the people.
Prof Yevugah also spoke on the theme 'Linkages of Ghana's Decentralisation Programme and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,' stressing that statutory allocations to Assemblies must not be diverted, as has occurred in recent years. He emphasized that massive rural development is essential, noting that Ghana needs to actualise the aspirations and objectives set out by the SDGs so people in rural areas can enjoy the same development as those in the cities.
