By Michael Owusu-Duodu, GNA
Goaso (Ahafo), Feb. 27, GNA – Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has reaffirmed government’s commitment to deepening decentralisation and strengthening fiscal discipline to ensure effective and sustainable development.
He said accountability was essential for building public trust and confidence in governance, and that transparency and prudent financial management were critical to sustaining development gains.
Mr Ibrahim made the remark when he met with the Ahafo Regional Minister, Mrs Charity Gardiner at Goaso during a working visit to inspect ongoing development projects in the region, particularly those supported under the SECO programme and related interventions.
The inspection was to ensure value for money, reinforce transparency, and promote compliance with established governance frameworks, including the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), and performance improvement mechanisms such as the District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT).
The meeting brought together representatives from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the German Development Bank (KFW), Municipal and District Chief Executives, regional heads of departments, members of the Regional Planning Coordinating Unit, and the media to review progress and discuss strategies for improved project delivery.
The Minister acknowledged the continued support of development partners, stating that their presence in the region was to assess the extent of programme support to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in Ahafo, evaluate progress made, and identify areas for improvement.
He said SECO had partnered with the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry, in the implementation of development projects over the past eight years.
He highlighted a total of GH¢980,732,648 that had been disbursed to finance priority local infrastructure projects, while GH¢42,935,328 allocated to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for capacity building and the procurement of essential logistics.
He noted that these investments had facilitated the delivery of over 10,000 basic infrastructure projects nationwide, including schools, health facilities, market infrastructure, roads, water systems, sanitation facilities, electricity extensions, warehouses, police stations, and other key amenities.
Mrs Gardinar on her part expressed gratitude to the Minister for the visit and development partners for selecting the Ahafo Region as a beneficiary of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF)-RFG Project
She said the DACF framework had helped a lot in delivering infrastructure such as classroom blocks, market facilities, CHPS compounds, and lorry parks and among others.
Mr Jacob Adade Ntiamoah, the Regional Economic Planning Officer delivered a presentation that outlined the vision and mission of the Regional Coordinating Council and the responsibilities under the DACF-RFG Programme and the GIZ-Paired Programme in ensuring proper coordination and resource utilisation.
The representatives of SECO and the KFW praised the Ghana Government for its strong partnership and the progress made under the programme and that the investments had contributed significantly to strengthening local governance and improving service delivery across beneficiary regions, including Ahafo.
They reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the collaboration and encouraged continued cooperation among stakeholders to ensure transparency, effective implementation, and long-term sustainability of the interventions.
The Minister and the entire delegation later proceeded to inspect selected project sites within the region, including Community-based Health Planning Services compound and school facilities, to assess progress, quality of work, and compliance with project standards as part of the monitoring exercise.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo