The President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), Alfred Asiedu Adjei, has urged assembly members to closely monitor public funds allocated to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure they translate into meaningful development.
He made the call at a two-day workshop in Kumasi organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) and NALAG.
The workshop brought together assembly members, presiding members, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), coordinating directors and other stakeholders in local governance.
Mr Adjei stressed that the principle of “funds must follow functions” must be accompanied by accountability.
“Where funds go, accountability must follow,” he said.
He urged assembly members to go beyond attending meetings and approving documents by taking a keen interest in their assemblies’ finances, budgets, annual action plans, allocations and development projects.
“Have the eagle eye,” he told the assembly members, urging them to scrutinise financial documents, monitor projects and demand explanations where resources were not being used for their intended purposes.
He said assembly members had a responsibility to raise concerns through the appropriate channels whenever projects were delayed or public resources were not being properly utilised.
Mr Adjei cited 2026 allocation figures presented at the workshop, which showed that direct allocations to MMDAs stood at approximately GH¢7.934 billion, representing about 90.47 percent of the total fund.
He said the focus should not only be on the amount allocated but also on the tangible benefits delivered to communities.
“Can our people point to improved roads, schools, sanitation facilities, health services, markets, water projects and economic opportunities?” he asked.
The NALAG President emphasised that public funds belonged to the people and must be accounted for, stressing that they did not belong to MMDCEs, assembly members, coordinating directors, finance officers or political parties.
He also cautioned assembly members against allowing political affiliation, personal relationships or fear to prevent them from raising legitimate concerns on behalf of their constituents.
According to him, challenges such as poor roads, flooding, inadequate infrastructure and poor sanitation affect citizens regardless of their political affiliations.
He said effective decentralisation required a clear link between the responsibilities assigned to local authorities and the resources provided to perform those functions.
Mr Adjei summed up the process as “functions, funds, accountability, results and development,” stressing that resources must be properly monitored to achieve the desired outcomes.
He also commended the government for what he described as timely releases of the District Assemblies Common Fund and other direct allocations to MMDAs.
“We applaud the government for the bold steps taken to deepen decentralisation and for ensuring that funds meant for MMDAs are released in a timely manner. This will go a long way to enhance development projects, improve infrastructure and deliver essential services to our communities,” he stated.
He called on assembly members and other local government stakeholders to strengthen their oversight responsibilities and ensure that public funds are translated into tangible development for the people.
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