Governance expert and Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at the Institute of Local Government  Studies,  Dr. Eric Oduro Osae has called for an increase in the share of Government Revenue going to the District Assemblies Common Fund DACF from the existing 5 percent to not less than 40 percent.  

 

Dr. Oduro Osae who was speaking at pubic forum on the role of the district assemblies common fund in National Development in Accra said Ghana is the only country among its comparators with the least budget allocation to the Common Fund under 10 percent.  

 

The District Assemblies Common Fund was set up by the District Assemblies Common Fund Act 1994, Act 455 to support and promote a decentralised system of economic and social development in Ghana. The Fund started with 110 districts with a disbursement of 2.6 million Ghana Cedis. As at now it has 254 Assemblies with total disbursement of 1.3 billion Ghana Cedis as at end of 2016.  

 

The forum which brought together experts in governance, advocates of decentralisation, students and practitioners of local government was on the theme "25 years of the District Assemblies Common Fund; achievements, Challenges and the way forward." Dr. Oduro Osae argues that the 5 percent of budgetary allocation is not scientifically justified as to whether or not it is commensurate with the implementation of all the allotted functions of the districts.  

 

A management and development consultant Edem Senanu who made a presentation on the topic "25 years of the District Assemblies Common Fund; achievements, Challenges and the way forward," urged district assemblies to increase and expand the scope of economic activities to enhance their capacities to take in sufficient Internally Generated Funds and not over rely on the District Assemblies Common Fund. 

 

Meanwhile a representative of the administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund, Emmanuel Danso bemoaned the 18 percent of the fund which is allocated to other institutions such as the Youth Employment Agencies saying it undermines the key tenet for setting up the fund.  

 

Story By: Nana Agyeman-Prempeh 

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