The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation Secretariat has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening local governance with the successful hosting of another Decentralisation Sector Working Group (DSWG) meeting for 2025. The session was held on Friday, 25th July 2025, at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders and Development Partners, including the Swiss and German Embassies, KEITI, UNICEF, World Bank, GIZ, UNDP, UNDCF, as well as institutions from the Government of Ghana, and representatives from Civil Society and International NGOs.
Co-chairing the session, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, emphasised that the Government’s Reset Agenda remains focused on empowering local authorities to bring development closer to the people. He outlined key recent milestones, including the nomination, approval, and orientation of 259 MMDCEs, commencement of payment of monthly allowances to Assembly Members, transfer of 2 Quarters of DACF allocations to all MMDAs based on issued DACF Utilisation Guidelines, and progress on finalizing the new National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy (2026–2030).
In her opening remarks, Miss Janine Walz, Chargé d’Affaires and Head of Cooperation at SECO and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland, noted that the ‘walking-the-talk’ sentiment shared by H.E. Ambassador Simone Giger at the last meeting is evident in the continued consistency of convening the DSWG. She highlighted the high-level dialogue held in June, meetings of the DACF-RFG Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups, and the commendable progress on the NDPS as proof of strong Government commitment.
The SECO head of cooperation emphasised that while activities and meetings matter, it is the tangible impact and results from implementation that will make a real difference to citizens. She applauded the contributions of International NGOs such as Catholic Relief Services, Co-Water, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in strengthening the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp).
“On behalf of Development Partners and International NGOs, we remain committed to collaborative partnerships and to ensuring that the people of Ghana benefit meaningfully,” she stated. She also drew attention to the need for urgent action on the return of DP project funds that were swept by the Minister for Finance, thereby impacting ongoing DP interventions.
Miss Walz welcomed discussions on the status of DACF releases to MMDAs and the implications of delays on Medium-Term Development Plan preparation timelines.
The Executive Secretary of the IMCC, Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, stressed the importance of holding the meeting before the end of the quarter to allow stakeholders to assess progress within the decentralisation sector and realign priorities where needed.
The well-attended meeting, graced by the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), Mr. Harry Yamson, and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Religious Affairs and Chieftaincy, Hon. Naa Adoley Sowah, concluded with a renewed call for stronger partnerships, deeper stakeholder cooperation, and collective action to reflect, reset, and bolster Ghana’s decentralisation reforms.
