IDEG calls for early disbursement of Common Fund
The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) says the failure of the government to disburse the District Assemblies Common Fund to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) has significantly contributed to the failed implementation of the decentralisation process in the country.
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The institute said for many years the government had only made available the common fund to the assemblies very late, a situation that had crippled their capacity to efficiently carry out development projects.
“We have been practising democracy since 1993 and after so many years of also practising decentralisation, the evidence on the ground indicates that things are not working,” the IDEG stated.
A Senior Research Fellow of IDEG, Mr Kwesi Jonah, who stated this, said “before the government creates a district, it must ensure that the area is financially viable but today financial viability of many districts are lacking.
“Why should we decentralise if the decentralised districts are not able to deliver the kind of services to the people, who do not even know they can influence the way things are done,” he said.
He was speaking at the presentation of the findings on the field observation and lesson on participatory monitoring of MMDAs’ project implementation.
The project titled “Strengthening civic participation and social accountability in local governance” was carried out in the Prestea Huni-Valley, Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Shama districts.
The findings, which started in May 2014 and will end in July 2015, is being carried out by the IDEG with support from USAID under the Ghana Local Governance and Decentralisation Programme (LOGDEP).
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Decentralisation must ensure equity
Mr Jonah said the main reason behind the decentralisation process in the country was to ensure efficient and equitable development and democratic dispensation at the district level.
“The central government is not to go to the grassroot to build for the people, clear rubbish, build market and lorry park but to bring democracy to the doorstep of the people.
“We decentralise so that local government can be liberal, representative, efficient and equitably accountable to the people,” he said.
‘Decentralising is not working’
According to him, the country’s decentralisation process was failing and “nothing is happening as assemblies do not have money to do anything.”
“While the internally-generated funds of the assemblies are very small, their common fund is disbursed very late,” Mr Jonah stated.
He said the major challenge to local governance and improved public service delivery in Ghana was ineffective participation of the citizens in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of economic and social policies and programmes at the lower levels of government.
“If decentralisation should work, the people living in the district must be empowered to influence the decision-making process and hold the authorities accountable,” Mr Jonah added.
Enhanced citizens’ participation
Presenting the findings, the acting Programmes Manager of IDEG, Mr Ewald Garr, said the implementation of the project had enhanced citizens participation in local governance in the three beneficiary districts.
“Through participatory monitoring, the project is promoting transparency and accountability in governance and subsequently public service delivery is improving in the three areas,” he added.
Recommendation
Mr Garr urged the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to organise regular training for newly-elected assembly members to build their capacity to effectively carry out their roles and champion the development interest of their communities.
He added that the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD) should educate citizens at the local level on civic participation in governance and projects in their annual action plans to enable them to monitor such projects.
“The government should establish a fund to support civic participation activities and civil society projects aimed at promoting transparency and accountability and improving service delivery at the district level,” he said.
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