By Jibril Abdul Mumuni

Accra, June 18, GNA-The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly has been crowned the best-performing assembly in the 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League for assemblies.

Achieving an impressive score of 50 per cent on the league table, the Municipal Assembly demonstrated superior performance over 257 other assemblies during the 2024 financial year.

This announcement was made at an event in Accra organised by the Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), an occasion that underscored the critical need for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to adhere to the Public Financial Management Act.

The Kpando Municipal Assembly and Kwadaso Municipal Assembly were adjudged the second and third best-performing assemblies, respectively.

The CLGA assessed the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies’ adherence to the Public Financial Management Act, using key variables such as development planning, composite budgeting, procurement and contracting, accounting reporting, and internal and external auditing.

Notably, the 2024 performance showed significant improvement across board, with the national average rising to 33 per cent, a notable increase from the 22 per cent recorded in 2023, which had demonstrated low performance across various variables.

Dr Eric Oduro Osae, a Member of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, urged the government to incorporate compliance with the Public Financial Management Act as a key performance indicator (KPI) for all local-level appointees.

He also encouraged the CLGA and its partners to continue their efforts beyond the publication, stressing the importance of a nationwide dissemination of the results and raising awareness on areas requiring further development.

Dr Osae noted that inadequate fiscal and financial management capacities of local government have often been used as an excuse to withhold funds for MMDAs or undertake direct disbursements.

He said the launch of the 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League is therefore a bold attempt by the CLGA and its partners to use the league as a feedback mechanism on financial management at the assemblies.

Dr Osae reiterated that the league table would put to rest the usual excuses given by governments not to allow full fiscal decentralisation.
GNA
18 June 2025
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong