The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to prioritise accountability to accelerate local development.

He made the call during an interview with Adom News at Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region, while hosting a delegation from Germany and Switzerland inspecting projects funded through the district assembly’s decentralisation partners.

Mr Ibrahim emphasised that the current government, led by President John Dramani Mahama, expects assembly managers to demonstrate strict accountability in managing the district common fund and contributions from development partners, including the German Development Bank and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

He noted that accountability is key to fostering development.

“For the government to provide assemblies with 90 percent of their common fund, alongside roughly $65 million from development partners, there must be proper accountability,” he said, adding that assembly managers would be held accountable to both the government and the communities they serve.

Meanwhile, Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, Janine Walz, commended the Asutifi North District Assembly after visiting a three-unit classroom block at Atwede3 and a CHPS compound at Kensere.

She praised the assembly for effectively utilising the common fund and partner contributions to benefit residents and expressed admiration for the collaborative relationship among stakeholders in the district to promote development.