Decentralisation reform in Ghana gained traction in the late 1980s when the current local government system was set up to give power back to the people and designated Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as local government authorities responsible for the provision of basic services. Subsequently, the 1992 Constitution and relevant Acts of Parliament were enacted to define the legislative framework for decentralisation.

In 2010, the first National Decentralisation Policy Framework (2010-2014) was formulated after stakeholder consultations were held nationwide. The policy among other things, laid a solid foundation for increased devolution of powers and functional responsibilities to MMDAs which requires greater intersectoral and inter-service cooperation and collaboration both at the local and national levels.

For this reason, the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation, under the Chairmanship of the President, was established to give political direction and accelerate decentralisation reform and coordinate the implementation of the overarching National Decentralisation Policy and National Decentralisation Action Plan.

The IMCC has been established under the Local Governance Act (936) 2016; 204. (1) There is established by this Act, an Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating

Committee on Decentralisation, referred to in this Act as the Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee.

(2) The Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee is the key national institutional mechanism for the inter-sectoral policy coordination of decentralisation and for the decentralised local governance system.

(3) The Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee shall comprise:

       (a) the President or a designated representative as chairperson;

       (b) the Minister for Local Government;

       (c) the Minister for Finance;

      (d) the Minister for Education;

      (e) the Minister for Health;

      (f) the Minister for Food and Agriculture;

      (g) the Minister responsible for Gender, Children and Social Protection;

      (h) the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice;

      (i) the Head of the Local Government Service;

      (j) the Head of the Civil Service; and

     (k) the Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission

205. The Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee is responsible for the inter-sectoral policy coordination of decentralisation and for the decentralised local governance system.

Since it was established, the IMCC has overseen significant reforms and facilitated the passage of important laws to accelerate decentralisation reforms and they include but not limited to the Local Governance Act 2016, (Act 936) which saw the consolidation of the District Assembly Common Fund Act, 1993 (Act 455); the Local Government Act 1993, (Act 462) and the Local Government Service Act, 2003 (Act 656); the passage of the Departments of the District Assemblies (Commencement) Instrument LI 1961; the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (925) which seeks to devolve Town and Country Planning and facilitate coordinated physical development at the local level; the passage of the Youth Authority Act (939), the Sport Authority Act (934), the Public Financial Management Act (921), the Passage of the Registration of the Births and Deaths Act(Act 1027) and attendant regulations and the passage of the Local Government (Urban, Zonal and Town Councils and Unit Committees) (Establishment) Instrument, 2010, L.I. 1967 just to name a few.

It is worth noting that draft bills for Cooperatives and Library Authority were sent to Parliament but could not get passed before parliament rose. Other important laws that seek to further accelerate sectoral decentralisation and service delivery that need to be amended or passed into law e.g Education and Health decentralisation.

In the same regard, MMDA’s have been given significant capacity through the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service, and the ILGS to ensure the effective performance of their functions. Therefore, the service can continue to develop and set professional standards, oversee management audits and reporting, coordination and assessment of staffing norms and personnel effectiveness as well as capacity development.

Further, under the auspices of the IMCC, significant fiscal decentralisation reforms were undertaken. The Ministry of Finance developed the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Framework (IGFF) and rolled out the Composite Budgeting system which was on the drawing board for twenty years.

The composite budget incorporates priority activities of all decentralised departments into one plan under the MMDA, rather than implementing them as separate deconcentrated departmental budgets. This has facilitated direct transfers to MMDAs under goods and services whereas central government continues to cater for compensation of all staff of the Local Government Service.

Additionally, a Regional Integrated Budgeting System (RIBS) was introduced. The RIBS covers the budgets of the offices of the Regional Coordinating Council and include the aggregate revenue and expenditure of the departments and organizations under the regional coordinating council, including the annual monitoring and evaluation plans and programs of the office of the regional coordinating council and the departments and organizations under the RCC.

Undoubtedly one of Government’s key policy measures for economic transformation within localities is the One District, One Factory initiative (which falls under Local Economic Development within the Decentralised Planning thrust areas of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy (2020-2024) and this has forward linkages with other pieces of legislation such as the municipal finances bill, the Public Private Partnership bill, the Local Governance Act (936) and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (925) among others.

Also, the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives will require far reaching fiscal decentralisation reform alongside administrative and political decentralisation reform since elected MMDCEs will need a stronger inter-governmental fiscal framework that makes MMDAs more financially independent.

Since these will require inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral dialogue and action, the IMCC and its Sub Committees and Task Forces will play a critical role to ensure that the legislative and administrative enablers are in place to achieve these goals in ways that supports the government’s