The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, has commended Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for improving the disbursement of the District Assemblies Common Fund to local government authorities.
He said the increased flow of funds to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had brought considerable relief to local authorities, allowing them to receive resources that were previously difficult to access.
Mr. Ali Adolf John made the remarks while speaking on behalf of Regional Ministers and MMDCEs at a meeting with Regional Ministers, MMDCEs and Coordinating Directors in Tamale.
He expressed surprise at the volume of money currently being released to the assemblies, questioning whether such levels of funding had been witnessed before in Ghana’s history.
“The Common Fund that comes to the various assemblies, tell me in the history of Ghana when have you ever experienced such a quantum of monies coming to the assembly?” he asked.
According to him, many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are pleased with the development, particularly those who understand the challenges their predecessors faced in securing funds for local development.
He contrasted the current situation with the previous eight years, when, he said, assemblies often struggled to receive even the relatively small amounts promised to them.
“The monies that used to come, and especially in the past eight years, the money that was even promised them, that peanut that was promised them, was not even coming,” he stated.
Mr. Ali Adolf John attributed the improvement to the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and Dr. Ato Forson at the Ministry of Finance, praising the current administration for what he described as a significant change in the funding of local assemblies.
