Decentralisation remains centre of national development – Veep

The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has emphasized that decentralisation must remain at the centre of national development. She made the call while opening the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation in Accra.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang described the meeting as an important moment of renewal and action, noting that Ghana’s decentralisation journey has spanned nearly four decades and requires sustained commitment. She explained that the establishment of the IMCC in 2010 demonstrated that no single ministry can drive decentralisation alone, and that coordinated leadership across sectors is essential for effective local development and service delivery.

The Vice President recalled that when the IMCC met regularly in the past, particularly between 2010 and 2016, it successfully addressed difficult reform issues that had remained unresolved since 1989. She noted that while these achievements showed the strength of coordinated action, crucial gaps still exist, weakening public trust in the local governance system. She urged the responsible ministries to work closely with the IMCC Secretariat to complete the reforms, calling it a national priority that must not be delayed.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also announced that the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy for 2026–2030 has been completed and would be presented to the committee. The new document provides a roadmap built around political, administrative, and fiscal decentralisation, planning, local economic development, and public participation. She stressed that the policy would only succeed if ministries demonstrated collective ownership, strong political backing, and full alignment with the strategy.

She further noted that the National Development Planning Commission, the civil service, and the local government service must harmonise standards, planning systems, staff structures, and accountability frameworks to ensure effective implementation.

The Executive Secretary of the IMCC on Decentralisation, Dr Gameli Hoedoafia, said the committee’s mandate is clearly defined under Section 204 of Act 9 and highlighted that the time has come to reposition Ghana’s decentralisation agenda for the next phase of national development. He described the gathering as an important step in reactivating the country’s highest platform for intersectoral policy coordination on decentralisation.

Dr Hoedoafia added that restoring the committee to full function would help strengthen collaboration across ministries whose mandates directly affect local governance and service delivery. He noted that another key purpose of the meeting was for ministers to consider and endorse the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy for 2026–2030, which outlines the framework for political, administrative, and fiscal decentralisation over the next five years.

He said the IMCC’s task is to seek clear policy direction on matters requiring strong coordination, including securing predictable domestic financing for both the IMCC Secretariat and the implementation of the new decentralisation policy. Dr Hoedoafia emphasized that the meeting aimed to secure leadership commitment and decisions needed to drive a coherent, well-coordinated, and adequately supported decentralisation reform programme.

He concluded that Ghana’s progress over the next five years would largely depend on how well ministries work together, align their actions, and commit resources to the decentralisation agenda. According to Dr Hoedoafia, the IMCC remains central to ensuring that national policies are effectively translated into action at the district level.

BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG

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