Ghana’s local governance system is not delivering as expected, not because of a lack of laws, but because those laws are routinely ignored, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has said.
The findings were presented at a national stakeholder workshop held in Accra on Thursday, April 2, following a three-month study into the operations of district assemblies.
Speaking at the event, Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, Team Lead for Local and Urban Governance at CDD-Ghana, said the research revealed widespread lapses in accountability across assemblies.
“We realised that there are enough laws to regulate district assemblies. However, the laws are not conformed to,” he said.
The study examined 24 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across 12 regions, using field observations, interviews and focus group discussions to assess how the system functions on the ground.
One of the key concerns raised was the lack of engagement between assembly members and the people they represent. According to Mr Mensah, many fail to consult constituents ahead of meetings and also do not report back afterwards.
“They are expected to consult their constituents before general meetings. They don’t do that. They are also expected to report back. They don’t do that,” he stated.
The report also highlighted gaps in transparency, particularly in the management of public projects. In several instances, information that should be made available to the public was either incomplete or entirely absent.
“District assemblies are supposed to put signposts on projects indicating cost, funders and other details. Sometimes even where the signposts exist, the financial information is missing,” he explained.
Beyond these issues, the study pointed to deeper structural challenges. Sub-district bodies meant to encourage grassroots participation are largely inactive, while traditional authorities, despite their control over land, remain sidelined in formal decision-making processes.
“Development is land. Yet traditional authorities who manage the land do not have a formal role in decision-making,” Mr Mensah noted.
The workshop is part of ongoing national discussions on reforming Ghana’s decentralisation system, particularly ahead of the implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy for 2026 to 2030.
CDD-Ghana says it will refine the findings with input from stakeholders and take the discussions to 10 regions from mid-April to gather further feedback and build support for reforms.
The organisation is advocating stricter enforcement of existing laws, improved transparency in public finances, and stronger engagement between local authorities and citizens.
