Former Minister of Local government and Rural Development in the erstwhile former president John Agyekum Kuffour’s administration,Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, has renewed calls for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s local governance system, insisting that Members of Parliament (MPs) should no longer benefit from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) since they have no voting rights in District Assemblies.
According to him, the portion of the Common Fund allocated to MPs should instead be transferred to elected Assembly Members to strengthen grassroots development and deepen decentralisation.
Mr. Adjei Darko made the call while delivering a keynote address at the Conference of Ashanti Regional Presiding Members held in Kumasi on Thursday.
Speaking on the theme of strengthening local governance, the former minister argued that the current arrangement undermines the constitutional principle of decentralisation and weakens the role of Assembly Members, who are the direct representatives of their communities.
He explained that Ghana’s decentralisation journey began in 1988 under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), when District Assemblies were established under PNDC Law 207. However, he noted that the system at the time merely transferred responsibilities without accompanying financial resources, describing it as “deconcentration” rather than genuine decentralisation.
According to him, the 1992 Constitution significantly improved the process by introducing the District Assemblies Common Fund under Article 252 and directing Parliament, through Article 240, to transfer functions, powers, responsibilities and resources from the central government to local government institutions.
He stated that although this marked progress towards delegation, Ghana still has not achieved true devolution, where local authorities enjoy meaningful autonomy coupled with accountability.
Election of DCEs….
Mr. Adjei Darko threw his weight behind proposals to elect Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), saying such a move would enhance accountability to the electorate.
However, he cautioned that electing District Chief Executives without reviewing the role of Members of Parliament within District Assemblies could create institutional conflicts.
According to him, once both the MP and the DCE derive their mandates directly from the same electorate, questions naturally arise regarding the continued relevance of MPs as members of District Assemblies.
He pointed out that MPs neither vote nor participate fully in Assembly decision-making, making it difficult to justify the allocation of a portion of the Common Fund to them.
“The resources currently reserved for MPs should rather be channelled to Assembly Members who work directly with communities and understand their development needs,” he stressed.
Role of Presiding Members
The former Local Government Minister described Presiding Members as one of the most important actors within Ghana’s decentralised governance structure.
He explained that unlike Parliament, where legislative and executive responsibilities are separate, District Assemblies combine legislative, executive and deliberative powers.
He said the Presiding Member serves as the chairperson of Assembly meetings, presides over debates, participates in voting and, where necessary, exercises a casting vote.
He further explained that Presiding Members chair the Audit Report Implementation Committee, a responsibility intended to strengthen accountability, reduce waste and promote prudent management of public resources.
Mr. Adjei Darko also noted that Presiding Members represent District Assemblies at official engagements, while District Chief Executives serve as chairpersons of the Executive Committee and representatives of the central government within their respective districts.
Procedural Lapses..
Touching on Assembly procedures, the former minister expressed concern about what he described as widespread procedural errors during Assembly meetings.
He explained that many Assemblies fail to distinguish between a session, a meeting and a sitting, contrary to the Model Standing Orders.
According to him, District Assemblies are expected to hold at least three meetings within a session each year, with each meeting comprising one or more sittings depending on the volume of business.
He noted that the DCE’s sessional address should be delivered only once at the first sitting of the first meeting each year.
Instead, he observed that many Assemblies spend excessive time discussing the address while neglecting equally important agenda items, particularly reports from Assembly Members representing their electoral areas.
He stressed that Assembly Members are legally required under Act 936 to maintain close contact with their communities and present the concerns, opinions and development priorities of their constituents during Assembly meetings.
According to him, these reports should form the foundation for policy formulation and development planning at the district level.
Call for Stronger Local Governance..
Mr. Adjei Darko concluded by urging Presiding Members to appreciate the significance of their constitutional responsibilities and provide effective leadership within their Assemblies.
He reminded them that they are not merely Assembly Members but key actors in Ghana’s local governance architecture whose leadership is critical to ensuring accountability, community participation and sustainable development.
He emphasised that strengthening the capacity of Assembly Members and empowering local government institutions remain essential to achieving genuine decentralisation and accelerating grassroots development across the country.
