The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has commenced administrative steps toward fulfilling a key promise made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President John Dramani Mahama to pay monthly allowances to all elected assembly members across Ghana.

This initiative, rooted in the provisions of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, marks a significant shift in the treatment of local governance actors and aims to enhance the effectiveness of the decentralisation process.

“As part of efforts to initiate the payment of the monthly allowances to the Hon. Assembly members, you are kindly requested to provide details of all Hon. Assembly members in your respective MMDAs, using the attached template and submit to the ministry via email.”
Amin Abdul Rahaman, Chief Director of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs

This directive is intended to facilitate the smooth rollout of the monthly allowance payment system, which is referenced explicitly in Section 395 on page 73 of the 2025 Budget.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Amin Abdul Rahaman, who signed the communiqué on behalf of the sector minister, emphasised that this move is a critical part of resetting the government’s agenda for local governance and ensuring the full implementation of campaign pledges that enhance grassroots development and participation.

According to the message, MMDAs are required to submit comprehensive details of all Assembly Members using a prescribed template provided by the Ministry.

The completed datasets are to be submitted electronically to the Ministry’s Decentralisation Unit by Friday, 9th May 2025, with a copy sent to Mr. Samuel Passah at the Ministry.

Call for Urgency

The memo explicitly instructs all officers to treat the request with the utmost urgency and seriousness.

This allowance initiative is not only a policy milestone but also a long-awaited morale booster for Assembly Members who have for decades worked largely without formal monthly remuneration.

While some have received sitting allowances or periodic incentives, the lack of a structured monthly compensation has been a point of contention, especially given the crucial roles they play in community development, citizen engagement, and oversight at the sub-national level.

The initiative appears to be a fulfilment of one of the most visible commitments made by President Mahama and the NDC during the 2024 general election campaign.

At multiple campaign platforms, the NDC flagbearer had vowed to institutionalise monthly allowances for Assembly Members, arguing that the lack of remuneration undermines their effectiveness and creates inequities within the local governance structure.

By enshrining the provision into the national budget and activating implementation early in the fiscal year, the Mahama-led government is sending a clear message that it is prioritising the strengthening of local governance and honouring the trust reposed in it by Ghanaians at the polls.

The policy could significantly improve the performance and accountability of Assembly Members, many of whom have traditionally had to self-finance their operations, engagements, and community projects.

The structured payment could also help reduce corruption risks at the local level, as members would be better resourced to carry out their mandates independently and responsibly.

This directive also reinforces the government’s broader decentralisation agenda, which has seen increased efforts to build institutional capacity at the local level and ensure that local governance structures are adequately empowered to address community-level challenges.

The Ministry’s communication to the Jubilee House’s Communication Room, requesting the transmission of this directive, suggests that the highest office of the land is not only aware but actively coordinating efforts to roll out this new chapter in local governance administration.

Regional Ministers and MMDCEs were urged to comply swiftly and accurately, as failure to meet the deadline could delay the rollout of allowances, which could generate discontent among Assembly Members who have long awaited formal recognition and compensation for their civic contributions.