The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, says more than GH¢5 billion from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) was disbursed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in 2025.

Mr Ayariga said the figure represented a significant increase in direct funding to the MMDAs compared with the amount disbursed in the 2024 fiscal year under the previous administration.

“In 2024 Fiscal Year, under Former President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo—Addo and former Vice President Bawumia (and now NPP presidential candidate) only GH¢390 million was disbursed directly to the MMDAs,” he said.

Speaking on Monday, October 5, at the Government Accountability Series, Mr Ayariga said the increase in funding became evident in the first year of President John Dramani Mahama's administration, with more than GH¢5 billion in DACF disbursed directly to the assemblies.

“In 2025, the first year of President John Dramani Mahama, over GH¢5 billion of DACF has been disbursed to MMDAs, [a] substantial increment of about twelve-fold to that of Bawumia and his team in 2024,” he said.

Mr Ayariga said the increased disbursement demonstrated the government's commitment to decentralisation and adherence to what he described as the principle of “triple Fs”.

“This is a demonstration of our commitment to decentralization and strict adherence to the principle of triple Fs as alluded earlier,” he said.

The minister compared the amount disbursed in 2025 with what he said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government spent on MMDAs in 2024.

“So while NPP spent a paltry GH¢390 million on MMDAs to support local economies, NDC in its first year spent over GH¢5 billion,” Mr Ayariga said.

He said the difference in the amounts, in his view, should also be considered in terms of the jobs created at the local level through the spending.

“This should give you an indication of the jobs created at the local level in the spending of this GH¢5 billion,” he said.

Mr Ayariga further stressed that the funds allocated to the MMDAs should not be viewed simply as a national-level financial figure, but as resources that could support development projects within local communities.

“This represents not merely a statistical abstraction at the national level, but rather tangible capital that empowers the Assemblies,” he said.

According to Mr Ayariga, the resources enabled the assemblies to “establish educational institutions, develop healthcare facilities, implement water supply systems, establish sanitation infrastructure, and finalise incomplete development projects.”

He said the level of funding was intended to support local economies and provide assemblies with resources to undertake development projects in their respective areas.