The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) against the underutilisation of development funds, stressing the need for transparency, accountability and prudent financial management.
Speaking during a working tour of selected assemblies in the Greater Accra Region, the Minister expressed concern about the pace of development in some districts despite the availability of resources from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and other government allocations.
The tour took him to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly and La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly, where he assessed a number of ongoing and completed projects funded through DACF and IGF resources.
At Korle Klottey, concerns were raised over the apparent underutilisation of DACF resources, while available Internally Generated Funds appeared to have been deployed more effectively for development initiatives.
The Minister noted that such disparities highlighted the need for better planning and efficient use of public funds to accelerate local development.
Mr. Ibrahim also expressed concern over reports that some Coordinating Directors and Municipal Finance Officers (MFOs) were withholding critical financial information from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and Assembly Members.
According to him, inadequate access to information weakens oversight and can prevent Assembly Members from effectively performing their representative and monitoring roles.
He stressed that Assembly Members must be provided with timely and accurate information to enable them to make informed decisions on behalf of their communities.
The Minister warned that any District Chief Executive who deliberately fails to furnish Assembly Members with relevant information would be held accountable.
“Public funds are meant to improve the lives of citizens, and every official entrusted with these resources must be prepared to account for their stewardship,” he stated.
Mr. Ibrahim said he was dissatisfied with the level of development achieved in some assemblies when compared with the resources at their disposal.
He therefore urged all MMDAs to prioritise development projects, ensure value for money and strengthen transparency in the management of public resources.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting accountability and improving local governance, emphasizing that efficient utilisation of public funds remains essential to delivering development and improving living conditions in communities across the country.
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