A leading Member of Parliament of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has strongly criticized the government over its delay in disburs
A leading Member of Parliament of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has strongly criticized the government over its delay in disbursing the first-quarter allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), despite official claims that the funds were released weeks ago.
In a strongly worded social media post on Friday, July 4, the MP for Akim Swedru lamented that not “a pesewa” had reached the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), even though the Finance Minister had earlier assured Parliament that nearly GH¢988 million had been transferred from the Consolidated Fund for disbursement.
“It’s about a month now since the Government, through its finance minister, informed the House that the Q1 DACF allocation had been released. As I speak, not even a pesewa has hit the accounts of the assemblies,” Osei posted on Facebook.
The DACF, a constitutionally mandated mechanism, provides quarterly financial support to Ghana’s 261 local government authorities to execute development projects and public services in their districts.
By law, a fixed percentage of total national revenue is to be allocated to the fund annually and distributed equitably across the country.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson had told Parliament on June 3, 2025 that the GH¢987.9 million DACF transfer had been completed, and that 80% of the amount was earmarked to go directly to the MMDAs with strict oversight protocols.
But the delay in actual disbursement has raised eyebrows, even within the ruling party.
Kennedy Osei questioned the government’s motives, suggesting that the delay may be a calculated effort to project fiscal discipline at the expense of essential development.
“Is it that the Government is afraid of spending to meet its own statutory obligations as captured in their budget? What’s keeping the Government from releasing these funds?” he asked, warning that such actions undermine governance at the grassroots level.
“Is the Government doing this just to keep their books clean and create a temporary economic stability at the expense of the country’s development?” he added.
The MP’s concerns come amid growing public dissatisfaction over stalled local projects, delayed salaries for district workers, and a general lack of funds for community development initiatives nationwide.
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