The Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has revealed that the current NDC government has significantly increased statutory transfers to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and other key funds—delivering more support to local governments than any previous administration in recent years.
But in a politically striking twist, the Deputy Minister pointed out that some of the biggest beneficiaries of these improved transfers are constituencies represented by the government’s fiercest critics in Parliament.
Speaking during the concluding statement of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review debate, Hon. Nyarko Ampem said:
“Mr. Speaker, let me take a few of the statutory payments to demonstrate that this is a marked improvement over what we have seen in the past.”
According to figures in Paragraph 537 of the Mid-Year Statement, DACF transfers for the first half of 2025 reached GH₵2.9 billion, compared to GH₵2.3 billion in the same period of 2024. The trend was similarly upward across other statutory funds:
• GETFund: GH₵1.2 billion (2024 H1) → GH₵4.6 billion (2025 H1)
• NHIS: GH₵1.8 billion → GH₵4.6 billion
• SSNIT: GH₵1.0 billion → GH₵2.7 billion
“Mr. Speaker, as at the end of December 2024, transfers to SSNIT were in arrears of GH₵2.2 billion. But this year, no arrears have been accumulated,” he added.
He stressed that under President John Dramani Mahama, the government is not only clearing arrears but is also actively prioritizing timely support to local development.
To illustrate the practical impact, Hon. Nyarko Ampem presented data on DACF transfers to selected Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) — notably revealing that three of the top critics of the government represent constituencies that have seen dramatic increases in funding this year:
• Effutu, represented by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, received GH₵1.4 million in 2024. In 2025, it received a staggering GH₵8.3 million.
• Karaga, the constituency of former Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam, rose from GH₵1.2 million to GH₵6.2 million.
• Tano North, represented by Dr. Gideon Boako, the economic advisor to former Vice President Bawumia, increased from GH₵1.3 million to GH₵5.8 million.
Also notable was the case of Sekondi-Takoradi, where DACF allocations rose from GH₵2.1 million to GH₵9.06 million.
“President Mahama is determined to deepen fiscal decentralization and spur development at the local level. This is a sharp departure from the retrogressive re-centralization of resources witnessed under the previous regime,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.
He also noted improvements in social protection programs. Teachers’ and nursing trainee allowances have been fully paid up to June 2025, and July payments have already been made. Additionally, the government has increased and promptly paid the LEAP, school feeding, and capitation grant allocations.
“A good government always takes steps to protect the vulnerable in society,” he said.
