Policy Objective
To strengthen the legal framework that promotes effective local democracy and participatory governance.

Policy Measures
a) Deepening Local Democracy
The NDPS will facilitate the amendment of constitutional and legislative provisions that inhibit the principles of deepening local democracy and local political empowerment. This policy measure will promote downward accountability. MLGRD will develop a transformational plan to build national consensus on local democracy for downward accountability. The NDPS will also support the implementation of change management and communication processes at all levels of government to ensure that democratic decentralisation becomes a reality.

b) Review of relevant legal, policy and institutional frameworks for decentralisation and devolved service delivery.

Politically empowered DAs and DCEs also require supportive national laws to deliver effective services. Gaps identified in existing relevant laws, policies and institutional framework that inhibit effective and efficient devolution of services to DAs will be reviewed. These will include but not limited to the following: Review of the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936); Finalisation of the Local Government Finances Bill; preparation of Legislative Instruments for a range of existing and future laws; review of Institute of Local Government Studies Act 2003 (Act 647); review of Civil Service Law 1993 (PNDC Law 327) and improvement in the Civil Registration system at the local level.

c) Strengthen the Sub-structures of District Assemblies (DAs) to make them functional
Reviewing and aligning the functions of sub-structures to DAs to make them functional will be the key focus. Sub-district demarcations will be redefined in newly created districts and together with existing ones facilitated through provision of offices, staff and financial resources to enable them to perform their core functions. Furthermore, the functions of the sub-structures especially the Urban, Town, Zonal and Area Councils will be reengineered through the completion of the establishment of administrative posts to make them visible and to facilitate collation of citizens’ complaints, ideas and mobilisation of collective action at the community level. A study will be conducted to determine
the appropriate conditions of service of Assembly and Unit Committee Members, and subsequently implemented.

d) Strengthen the capacity of Assembly Members to effectively fulfill their roles and responsibilities

Capacity gaps will be identified, training materials developed, and funds provided to sustain trainings of DCEs and Assembly Members as well as members of Sub-committees to perform their functions as prescribed by law. The trainings will be offered with a structured approach and sustained over the planned period to address challenges of limited capacity that have plagued the local government system.

e) Resolve district boundary disputes
Another area of emphasis will be to re-align district boundaries, first by reviewing earlier studies and its recommendations in addition to constitutional issues to address the ambiguities that have plagued this area of Ghana’s democracy over the years. In addition, demarcation of districts will be defined with appropriate
landmarks on political maps to address disputes through a consultative process, especially with the Traditional Authorities.

f) Promote women’s participation in local governance
This entails the formulation of policies and the passage of laws to encourage women’s involvement in local governance. Special programmes will be implemented to promote women in elected and appointed positions at the district level. The proposed political decentralisation reforms will consider allocation of specific number
of seats or representation for women per district to be elected.