Africa-Press – Ghana. Political interference is undermining the effective functioning of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), a new survey by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has revealed.
The findings were presented at a national stakeholder workshop on local government reforms organised by CDD-Ghana on Thursday in Accra.
The study, which covered 252 respondents across 24 MMDAs in 12 regions, assessed the performance, structures and accountability systems of local governance institutions.
Presenting the findings, Mr Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, Team Lead for Local and Urban Governance at CDD-Ghana, said while legal frameworks for decentralisation existed, their implementation remained weak.
He said political interference in administrative processes, including staff postings, contract awards and decision-making, was a major challenge affecting efficiency and accountability at the district level.
“Some staff are seen as untouchables,” he said, noting that political influence often undermined disciplinary procedures and weakened the authority of District Coordinating Directors.
The survey found that although general assembly meetings were held, deliberations were often procedural, with limited time for substantive discussions on key issues such as budgets.
It also identified irregular subcommittee meetings due to funding constraints, weak engagement between assembly members and constituents, and low public awareness of Public Relations and Complaints Committees.
On institutional relationships, the study revealed tensions between political heads of assemblies and administrative officials, which affected day-to-day governance.
It also noted that centralised human resource control limited the autonomy of MMDAs in recruitment and discipline, contributing to inefficiencies.
The report highlighted weak fiscal decentralisation, citing delays in the release of the District Assemblies Common Fund and poor mobilisation of Internally Generated Funds, which in many districts accounted for less than one per cent of total revenue.
On the long-standing debate over the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), the survey found broad stakeholder support for their election.
However, respondents expressed concerns that such elections could deepen partisanship and introduce excessive monetisation into local governance.
“Electing MMDCEs alone will not resolve the broader structural problems,” the report stated, calling for comprehensive reforms beyond leadership selection.
CDD-Ghana recommended strengthening financial autonomy through improved revenue mobilisation and timely release of statutory funds, as well as enforcing non-partisan principles in local governance.
It also called for the devolution of human resource management to district assemblies, revitalisation of grassroots structures, and formal integration of traditional authorities into planning processes.
Additionally, the report urged enhanced transparency, stronger accountability systems, and increased citizen engagement.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance, said Ghana could learn from other African countries that had successfully implemented decentralisation reforms.
He said comparative approaches could help address persistent challenges in Ghana’s local governance system.
Prof Henry Kwesi Prempeh, Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, also identified political considerations as a key factor hindering decentralisation.
He noted that decisions such as the creation of districts were often driven by political interests rather than viability, contributing to inefficiencies.
Prof Prempeh proposed the establishment of an independent devolution commission to oversee decentralisation and reduce political interference in local governance.
