By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Rural Development has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening transparency and accountability in local governance as it reviewed the 2024 Audit Reports of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) from the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions.
The review, held as part of Parliament’s nationwide post-audit exercise, aims to ensure that public funds allocated to the assemblies are used efficiently and deliver tangible benefits to local communities.
Chairperson of the Committee, Maame Pokuah Sawyer, stressed that fiscal responsibility remains central to Ghana’s decentralization process.
“Assemblies are key to delivering development at the grassroots. Our oversight ensures that every cedi allocated is accounted for and used for its intended purpose,” she said.
She added that the Committee’s work acts as a safeguard against mismanagement, waste, and irregularities that undermine local development.
Representatives from the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions appeared before the Committee to clarify audit findings related to expenditure, procurement, and internally generated funds.
Regional Ministers Hon. Francis Owusu Antwi (Bono) and Charity Gardner (Ahafo) were present to support their assemblies and outline measures being taken to strengthen financial controls and compliance with the Public Financial Management Act.
The sittings form part of Parliament’s broader effort to deepen public confidence in the decentralization system by enforcing transparency and accountability across all local government institutions.
The improvement of financial management at the district level is crucial to ensuring that resources reach communities, reduce waste, and enhance service delivery in education, sanitation, and infrastructure.
The Local Government Committee is expected to continue similar engagements in other regions before compiling a national report to Parliament. Recommendations from the hearings will feed into policy decisions aimed at improving efficiency in local governance and safeguarding public resources.
