The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to adhere to the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) Guidelines to ensure development in the region.The guidelines, which was approved by cabinet earlier this month after the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, announced the transfer of GH¢987,965,073.00 from the Consolidated Fund into DACF representing the first quarter disbursement for 2025.Ms Linda Obenewaa Ocloo interacting with the media after the meetingAimed at promoting effective service delivery and transparency, the guidelines for the 80 per cent of the released funds are; 25 per cent goes for the design and construction of 24-Hour Economy model markets, 10 per cent for the construction of health facilities, another 10 per cent into construction of educational facilities while, 10 per cent goes towards provision of potable water.Also, 10 per cent designated for environmental sanitation, 10 per cent for the provision of school furniture, five per cent for administration, including monitoring and evaluation, and 20 per cent goes into completion of abandoned legacy projects.The minister who made the call at the Annual Council Meeting in Accra, yesterday emphasised the importance of adhering to cabinet-approved guidelines for the use of the DACF.She announced that first quarter allocations were ready and would be released upon submission of 2025 Budget and work plans by MMDAs.With over 80 per cent of funds expected to be invested in local development projects, she urged members to ensure prudent use of the resources, emphasising that the RCC would monitor fund usage closely to support the government's reset agenda for sustainable growth and accountability."I wish to urge all of you to ensure you stick to the guidelines approved by cabinet for the utilisation of the DACF.
Remember, the reset agenda can be achieved when we follow these guidelines," she said.Ms Ocloo highlighted the need for improved Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to drive development.She commended some assemblies for adopting cashless systems and urged others to embrace digital platforms for greater transparency and efficiency."Records from this office indicates that, as at the end of the 1st quarter 2025, all MMDAs in the region had mobilised over GH¢ 80 million which represents 23 per cent of the total budget of the year 2025.
Leading this achievement is Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly with 8.4 million which represents 38.5 per cent of its total budget, while Ayawaso North trails with GH¢316,643.66 which represents 19.8 per cent of its budget," she added.The minister urged all MMDAs to prioritise the submission of their 2026-2029 Medium-Term Development Plans to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) by June 30, 2025.She said all future budgeting activities must align with the interventions outlined in these plans and called for strong support for planning teams to meet the deadline.A Local Government and Decentralisation expert, Mr Jonathan Azaso, advised the assemblies to always get their developmental plans approved before putting together budget for approval so as to stay on track."It is important you make use of resources made available to the assembly responsible to ensure transparency and accountability to your people and government," he stated.He called on the various departments of the assemblies to collaborate to ensure smooth operations for community development. BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
