Dr. George Laryea, Director in charge of Policy and Research at the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), has stressed the need for district assemblies to strengthen their internally generated funds (IGF) to support local development initiatives.
Speaking in an interview on Atinka TV’s Ghana Nie Morning Show, Dr. Laryea expressed concern about the heavy dependence of many district assemblies on the District Assembly Common Fund.
According to him, assemblies have the potential to mobilise more local resources if proper attention is given to revenue generation mechanisms.
“Over reliance on the District Assembly Common Fund is very worrying; internally generated fund is one area if properly utilized, district assemblies can accumulate more resources to support local development,” he stated.
Dr. Laryea also clarified the distinct roles of Members of Parliament and District Chief Executives within Ghana’s decentralisation framework.
He explained that while MPs may use their influence and advocacy to support development projects in their constituencies, their primary constitutional responsibility remains lawmaking.
“At some point, Members of Parliament can leverage their influence to drive development, but it is essential to note that their primary role is as lawmakers, whereas the District Chief Executives are the local development agents,” he noted.
He further encouraged local authorities to improve planning, accountability, and resource mobilisation to accelerate development at the district level.
