The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has disclosed that the government has disbursed over GH¢11 million to cover monthly allowances for all assembly members across the country in 2025.

Speaking during the Government’s Accountability Series on Monday, April 20, the Minister said a total of 9,090 local assembly members are currently on the payroll, each receiving a monthly allowance of GH¢1,300. He added that the allowance is subject to taxation.

According to him, the payment of allowances to assembly members began in 2025, fulfilling a commitment made by President John Dramani Mahama during the 2024 election campaign to recognise and reward their service if elected.

“President John Dramani Mahama said every assembly member must be paid an allowance of GH¢1,300, and we have 9,090 assembly members in the country. All the 9,090 assembly members were paid GH¢1,300 and out of this, it was taxed so when you take the tax component of it, every assembly member was paid an allowance of more than GH¢1,000, for all the months of 2025,” he said.

He added that the government is now preparing to pay the first quarter of 2026.

The Minister further noted that this is the first time in 35 years, since Ghana returned to civilian rule, that assembly members have been receiving monthly allowances.

“Since 1988, when we started practising decentralisation, assembly members were not recognised. They were not respected, they were not motivated, since one of them (the president) became president of the country, President John Dramani Mahama said every assembly member must be paid,” he said.