A few months ago, President John Dramani Mahama issued a stern warning to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to safeguard the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF). His message was clear: this fund is not for political indulgence but for development.
The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has also echoed that call, charging the assemblies to use the fund judiciously.
The repeated reminders from the highest offices of the land point to a reality that cannot be ignored, and that is, the DACF is under threat of misuse, and with it, the effect on grassroots development.
The assemblies are the foundation of our democracy and the closest link between the government and the people.
They are the frontline providers of basic services — water, sanitation, roads, health posts and schools.
If they fail, the nation fails. If they thrive, national development becomes more than a political slogan; it becomes a lived reality.
That is why safeguarding the DACF must be treated not as an administrative duty but as a national imperative.
Sadly, evidence abounds that the fund has often been misapplied.
Audit reports have consistently flagged irregularities: inflated project costs, incomplete infrastructure and, in some cases, outright diversion of funds.
These failures mean stalled boreholes, abandoned classroom blocks and broken promises to communities that desperately need support.
When such misuse occurs, it is the ordinary citizen — the farmer waiting for a feeder road, the mother needing a health post, the child in a roofless classroom — who pays the price.
Yet, the DACF is also Ghana’s greatest opportunity for inclusive growth.
Around the world, local governance has driven remarkable transformations.
Brazil’s participatory budgeting has given communities power to set spending priorities, boosting both accountability and citizen trust.
South Korea’s post-war decentralisation enabled districts to design and deliver the infrastructure that powered its industrial take-off.
Rwanda’s community-driven development has helped it rebuild trust and accelerate growth after the conflict.
These examples show that when local governments are empowered and monitored, they can change the trajectory of nations.
Ghana too can reap such benefits — but only if the DACF is shielded from abuse.
The Daily Graphic believes that certain steps are urgent.
First is radical transparency. Every assembly should be required to publish quarterly expenditure reports, both online and physically at district offices.
This practice, adopted in countries such as Estonia, drastically reduces the space for corruption.
Second, we must incorporate citizen participation for communities to have a say in how funds are spent.
Town hall meetings, participatory budgeting engagements, and citizen scorecards can align spending with real needs.
In India, village-level social audits have exposed misuse of resources and restored accountability. Ghana can adapt this model.
Third, we must prioritise independent audits and sanctions.
The Auditor-General’s reports on assemblies should not be left on shelves.
Mismanagement must carry real consequences — prosecutions, dismissals and recovery of funds.
Kenya’s system of auditing county governments shows how quickly irregularities can be flagged and addressed.
Last but not least, we must build the capacity of the personnel of the assemblies.
Many assemblies lack the expertise to plan and execute projects efficiently.
Training, planning tools and monitoring systems must accompany the funds to ensure that every cedi produces a visible impact.
Above all, there must be political will.
Without it, Presidential cautions and Vice-Presidential charges will remain hollow words.
With it, however, the DACF can become what the framers of our Constitution intended: a lifeline for local communities and a cornerstone of national progress.
The Vice-President’s charge must therefore not fade into routine rhetoric.
It should awaken citizens to demand answers, to insist that every pesewa of the DACF is used for its intended purpose.
The Common Fund is not a privilege bestowed by government; it is the people’s money.
To misuse it is to rob Ghanaians of clean water, safe schools, better roads, and a fair chance at development.
If we protect the DACF, we build the nation from its roots.
If we squander it, we betray the very foundation of our democracy.
The choice is ours.
