Government has disclosed that the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development will continue to assess the performance of 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country in order to enable it transfer appropriate funds to qualifying Assemblies.
According to finance minister, Ken Ofori Atta, in a bid to deepen decentralisation, the Ministry undertook several initiatives, including the transfer of GH¢331.54 million to qualifying MMDAs. This, he explained, was to serve as “incentive for their performance” for the 2018 and the 2019 fiscal years under the District Assemblies Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT).
The finance minister revealed that the intervention was to support the implementation of District Assemblies Annual Action Plans for improved service delivery.
“In 2022, the Ministry will continue to assess the performance of MMDAs using DPAT for 261 Assemblies based on 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, and transfer appropriate amounts to qualifying MMDAs to support the implementation of their Annual Action Plans”.
Mr Ken Ofori Atta
To improve revenue generation and management at the local level, Mr Ofori Atta noted that the Ministry of Local Government rolled out the District Level Revenue Software in 114 MMDAs across the country. He intimated that come next year, the Ministry will roll out the software in the remaining MMDAs to improve on their revenue mobilisation.
Highlighting the gains of the Local Government ministry, Mr Ofori Atta indicated that the Ministry developed and deployed the District Data Development Platform (DDDP) to all 261 MMDAs to address gaps in data collection on all Government interventions at the local level. The platform, according to him, is expected to be a “game-changer” for informed decision-making.
Local government to build human resources
Next year, Mr Ofori Atta disclosed that government will continue with implementation of strategies to improve internally generated fund mobilisation and implement the National Decentralisation Policy. Additionally, the Office of the Head of Local Government Service will organise orientation workshops for stakeholders on the Performance Contract at the RCC and MMDA levels.
The Regional Coordinating Councils, the finance minister disclosed, will from next year, organise training to build human resource capacity to improve on quality service delivery of MMDAs. Along with the training, Regional Coordinating Directors will sign Performance Contract Agreements with Regional Ministers to ensure implementation of policies and strategies for the overall development of the Regions.
The Local Government Ministry, through the Department of Community Development, trained 4,601 artisans in 25 Community Development and Vocational Technical Institutes across the country. This was to sharpen the technical and vocational skills of the youth for employment and job creation opportunities.
Mr Ofori Atta noted that the Department trained 370 community educators at the Rural Development College at Kwaso in the Ashanti Region.
“Furthermore, some 1,107 trainees graduated in various trade skills and competencies at both institutional and community levels”.
Mr Ken Ofori Atta
In 2022, the finance minister revealed that the Department of Community Development will continue to train 5,000 youth in Vocational and Technical skills (CDVTIs) and 2,600 youth in employable skills on income generating activities, trades and craft to support the implementation of the 1D1F agenda within the local communities.
