The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC) convened the maiden edition of the National Dialogue on Decentralisation and Responsive Governance at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, under the theme: “Resetting Decentralisation for Responsive Local Governance and Effective Service Delivery.”

The two-day event, held on 25th and 26th September 2025, brought together a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including Ministers who are IMCC members, Members of Parliament, District Chief Executives, Heads of Institutions, Development Partners, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Civil Society Organisations, Academia, Think Tanks, and Media Practitioners.

Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, Executive Secretary of IMCC, emphasized the significance of the dialogue as a turning point in Ghana’s decentralisation journey.

“Decentralisation is not a policy luxury; it is a democratic necessity,” Dr. Hoedoafia noted.

“Let history record that this Dialogue was not another meeting or talk shop, but the moment when Ghana pressed the reset button,” he concluded.

Opening the dialogue, the Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in her keynote address, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to decentralisation as a cornerstone of national development.

“Building a capable state must begin with functional and ethical local governments,” she said.

“Decentralisation must move from an abstract aspiration to a reality that reshapes service delivery and how citizens experience government in their everyday lives.”

She highlighted the over two billion Ghana cedis that has been disbursed through the District Assemblies Common Fund, and outlined the Reset Agenda, which includes increasing the Fund, supporting internally generated revenue mobilisation, and moving towards the election of MMDCEs.

“Let us envision a Ghana where governance is closer to the people, where institutions are responsive, and where citizens are active participants in shaping their paths,” she urged.

The Dialogue marks a critical milestone in Ghana’s decentralisation efforts, offering a platform for reflection, consensus-building, and policy refinement.

With contributions from experts, practitioners, and citizens, the dialogue is expected to shape the next phase of reforms aimed at delivering inclusive, accountable, and effective local governance.

Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC) is Ghana’s apex body for inter-sectoral policy coordination on decentralisation and local governance.

Chaired by the President, the IMCCoD provides strategic direction, accelerates reform, and oversees the implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy and Action Plan.