By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Sept. 05, GNA – The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to deepening democratic decentralisation and strengthening Ghana’s local governance system.
The Committee said decentralisation remained critical to promoting accountable governance, responsive public service delivery, and accelerated development at the local level.
The reaffirmation was made at a high-level meeting of the IMCC held at Peduase Lodge chaired by Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
The meeting focused on strategic policy, institutional, legislative, financing and implementation priorities for advancing Ghana’s decentralisation agenda under the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang underscored the importance of decentralisation to effective governance and stronger relations between the State and citizens.
She said bringing decision-making and public services closer to citizens was essential to improving governance and ensuring that development responded to local needs.
The Vice President said decentralisation must ultimately improve citizens’ welfare and protect the environment, with participation and inclusion at the centre of the governance process.
She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to advancing devolution and strengthening citizen participation, stressing the need to move decisively from policy formulation to implementation.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the approval of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework (NDPS) 2026–2030 provided an important foundation, but its success depended on translating policy into tangible results at the local level.
Dr Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, the Executive Secretary of the IMCC, briefed the Committee on progress made by the Secretariat towards creating the conditions for effective implementation of the NDPS 2026–2030.
He said the Secretariat, in collaboration with Ministries, Departments, Agencies and other stakeholders, was advancing legislative and administrative reforms to support decentralisation.
Dr Hoedoafia said the reforms included reviews of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), and the legislative framework governing the Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospitals.
He also highlighted efforts to strengthen public awareness and citizen engagement, saying effective decentralisation required informed participation, ownership and accountability, while coordination with development partners was being strengthened through mechanisms such as the Decentralisation Sector Working Group.
He said the Committee also considered financing reforms, including mainstreaming decentralisation priorities into sector plans and budgets, increasing District Assemblies Common Fund allocations to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, improving internally generated revenue and expanding fiscal space for local development.
It further reviewed progress towards devolving key sectors, including education, health and roads, and stressed the need to provide the necessary resources, institutional capacity, and accountability mechanisms to ensure effective service delivery.
He reaffirmed that successful decentralisation required a coordinated whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving central government institutions, the Local Government Service, MMDAs, development partners, civil society, traditional authorities, academia and citizens.
He pledged to provide strategic policy coordination and oversight to accelerate implementation of the NDPS 2026–2030, with emphasis on effective devolution, sustainable financing, institutional coordination, citizen participation and measurable improvements in local governance.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo