The Minority Caucus in Parliament has warned that the 2025 District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Guidelines risk creating administrative paralysis at the district level due to what it describes as conflicting legal authorities.

Addressing journalists in Parliament, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh argued that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are now caught between two competing directives: the constitutionally approved DACF formula passed by Parliament and the Ministerial Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government.

“District Chief Executives and Coordinating Directors are now operating under legal uncertainty,” he stated.

“Do they follow the parliamentary formula, which is binding under Article 252, or do they comply with administrative guidelines that appear to alter that formula?”

According to him, this duality creates confusion in procurement planning, budgeting cycles and project prioritisation.

He cautioned that public officers may be exposed to audit queries or legal risk if the guidelines are later deemed unconstitutional.

“This is not merely theoretical,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh emphasised. “When financial authority is unclear, development stalls.”

He urged the immediate harmonisation of the guidelines with the parliamentary formula to restore clarity and protect district administrators from institutional conflict.