Decentralisation in Ghana has undergone a transformative journey since the late 1980s, when the government launched reforms to empower citizens through Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). These reforms were formally entrenched in the 1992 Constitution and reinforced by subsequent Acts of Parliament, culminating in the first National Decentralisation Policy Framework (2010–2014).

To ensure coherent implementation and sustained political leadership, the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation was established in 2010 under the Chairmanship of the President.

Before this, decentralisation efforts were coordinated by the then Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. However, the Ministry’s ability to drive intersectoral reforms was constrained by the co-equal status of Ministers whose mandates were directly impacted by decentralisation.

Recognising this structural limitation, the IMCC was introduced as a high-level institutional mechanism to drive the decentralisation agenda. It brings together sector heads from ministries most critical to decentralisation, providing strategic oversight and ensuring inter-sectoral coordination in policy formulation and implementation.

The IMCC has been mainstreamed into Ghana’s public administration architecture through the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936), affirming its role as the central body for national decentralisation governance.

Mandate of IMCC

Section 204 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (ACT 936) establishes the IMCC as the key national institutional mechanism responsible for the intersectoral policy coordination of decentralisation and for the decentralised local governance system.

Composition of the IMCC

The IMCC is chaired by the President or the Vice President and includes key ministers and institutional heads:

• Minister for Finance
• Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs
• Minister for Education
• Minister for Health
• Minister for Food and Agriculture
• Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection
• Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
• Head of the Local Government Service
• Head of the Civil Service
• Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission

Supporting the IMCC is a Technical Committee composed of Chief Directors and experts from the above sectors, acting as a clearinghouse for reform proposals.

Also established under 207 of the Local Governance ACT, 2016 (ACT 936), the IMCC Secretariat is headed by an Executive Secretary who ensures the effective implementation of the decisions of the Inter-Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee.

Achievements

The IMCC continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Ghana’s decentralisation landscape through legal, policy, and fiscal reforms. Since its establishment, the IMCC has ensured the following.

Legal and Policy Reforms

• Passage of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), consolidating key decentralisation laws.
• Enactment of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (925), Youth Authority Act (939), Sport Authority Act (934), and Public Financial Management Act (921).
• Introduction of the Local Government (Urban, Zonal and Town Councils and Unit Committees) Instrument, 2010 (L.I. 1967).
• Harmonisation of laws, including the Civil Service Law (PNDCL 327), National Development Planning Acts (479 and 480), and the Institute of Local Government Studies Act (647).

Administrative Decentralisation

• Operationalisation of the Departments of District Assemblies (LI 1961), ensuring decentralised departments function under the authority of MMDAs.
• Strengthening of the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) to set professional standards, conduct management audits, and oversee staffing norms.
• Capacity development initiatives through the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), enhancing the skills of local government officials for effective service delivery.
• Establishment of clear reporting relationships between central ministries, regional coordinating councils, and district assemblies to improve accountability and coordination.

Popular Participation and Accountability

• Institutionalisation of consultative processes at the district and sub-district levels, ensuring citizens’ voices are integrated into planning and budgeting.
• Promotion of transparency through composite budgeting, enabling communities to track resource allocation and expenditure.
• Strengthening of sub-district structures (urban, zonal, town councils, and unit committees) to deepen grassroots participation in governance.
• Publication of annual “State of Decentralisation” reports and newsletters by the IMCC Secretariat to inform the public and promote accountability.

Fiscal Decentralisation

• Development of the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Framework (IGFF).
• Rollout of Composite Budgeting, integrating departmental budgets under MMDAs.
• Launch of the Regional Integrated Budgeting System (RIBS) for Regional Coordinating Councils.

The IMCC facilitated the formulation of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy for the periods 2010–2014, 2015–2019, 2020–2024, and the ongoing one (2026–2030). It simplified policy themes from ten to six, clarified decentralisation concepts (deconcentration, devolution, delegation), and strengthened the role of sub-district structures.

The IMCC is a cornerstone of Ghana’s decentralisation architecture. Through institutionalising inter-sectoral coordination, it has addressed longstanding challenges in policy coherence, legal reform, and fiscal decentralisation.

As Ghana moves toward advanced reforms, including the election of MMDCEs and enhanced local economic development, the IMCC remains pivotal in ensuring that decentralisation is not only sustained but transformative.

POLICY THEMES

The National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework 2026 – 2030 has six (6) thematic areas. These are:

• Political Decentralisation is intended to transfer decision-making authority to assemblies.
• Administrative Decentralisation aims at shifting administrative responsibilities from central government entities to local authorities.
• Fiscal Decentralisation and Local Financing aim to ensure that funds follow function to increasing financial autonomy of local authorities through more responsive allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), strengthening MMDAs’ capacity for local revenue generation and management, and strengthening transparency and accountability in local financial management and compliance with the PFM Act.
• Decentralised Planning seeks to align development planning further with local needs, enhance local ownership, and improve implementation performance.
• Local Economic Development (LED) stimulates economic growth at the local level, requiring the support of local micro, small, and medium enterprises and industries, and leveraging local resources for sustainability.
• Citizen Participation and Accountability foster inclusive governance and civic engagement, focusing on strengthening uptake of opportunities such as stakeholder consultations, public fora hearings and meetings.