The Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) has urged the government to address the long-standing challenge of delay in the release of funds to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
It said tacklingthe challenge would bring the needed growth and development at the local level to improve livelihoods.
Fred Agyarko Oduro, the Dean of the Institute of Local Government Studies, indicated that last year, there were reports of some assemblies’ not receiving funds and “if it is so, then it means there is concern and if it remains a challenge, the assemblies will feel the impact of not receiving the funds”.
“The stifling of funds to the assemblies will continue to remain a challenge, stalling progress, growth and development of communities which the central government must avoid for the people to feel the positive impact of its policies.
“There have always been issues with the release of the DACF and there remains a challenge whether the right amount are given to the assemblies and here are also challenges of people withholding aspects of it, and has been a long-standing problem which spans from when the fund was established which is unfortunate,” Mr Oduro lamented.
The Minority Caucus on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government revealed that the Fund for the year 2021 was yet to be credited and have thus threatened to go to court against the Ministry of Finance if it continues to delay the release of funds due the DACF.
It disclosed that the government owed the Fund GH¢2 billion which comprised disbursements that should have been paid from 2019 to 2021. –citinewsroom.com
