Corrupt MMDCEs won’t be shielded – Mahama gives July 15 deadline for asset declaration

President John Dramani Mahama has warned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) that his administration will not protect any of them from corruption investigations and has urged them to declare their assets by July 15, 2025.

He issued the warning on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the official opening of the 2025 orientation programme for MMDCEs in Accra.

Mr Mahama said the appointees had been entrusted with large public resources and must uphold integrity, transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.

“I expect that by July 15, all of you will have declared your assets,” he stated. “If any institutions start investigating you, do not expect me to interfere on your behalf.”

He reminded them that their appointments were not rewards but responsibilities, guided by the provisions of Section 21 of the Local Governance Act.

Mr Mahama said each assembly will receive a minimum of GH¢25 million this year from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), the highest allocation to local government since the start of the Fourth Republic.

He stressed that such funding must be managed responsibly and must align with the development goals captured in the assemblies’ medium-term plans.

“These resources come with expectations,” he said, warning that corruption and waste will not be condoned.

Mr Mahama noted that public trust in local government depends not only on performance but also on ethical leadership.

He also restated his administration’s plan to deepen decentralisation by transferring authority over sectors such as sanitation, education and health to the assemblies, with future allocations tied to results achieved at the district level.