Frank Annoh-Dompreh
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the government of violating the Constitution through newly issued guidelines governing the utilisation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), warning that the directive undermines parliamentary authority and threatens the decentralisation framework.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament yesterday, the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, said the 2025 DACF utilisation guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government and approved by Cabinet introduce mandatory spending directives that contradict the formula approved by Parliament.
He stressed that the matter transcends partisan politics and instead concerns constitutional governance, public finance integrity, and respect for legislative supremacy.
According to the Minority, Article 252 of the 1992 Constitution vests Parliament with exclusive authority to determine the formula for distributing the Common Fund across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Parliament subsequently approved the 2025 DACF formula, allocating GH¢7.51 billion based on an equity-driven model that incorporates location quotients, developmental needs, equality components, and service pressure indicators.
However, the caucus argued that the ministerial guidelines effectively establish a parallel allocation regime by mandating fixed expenditure percentages for specific projects, including 24-hour economy markets, CHPS compounds, school blocks, boreholes, sanitation, administration, and legacy projects.
The Minority contended that these directives do not exist in the parliamentary formula and, therefore, amount to a redesign rather than implementation guidance.
The group further maintained that while the Local Governance Act permits the issuance of utilisation guidelines, such directives must operate within parameters set by Parliament.
By imposing new allocation structures, the Minority said the Executive had acted ultra vires and encroached upon constitutionally protected legislative powers.
The caucus warned that the policy could undermine equitable resource distribution by forcing districts with varying development levels into uniform spending templates.
It also cautioned that local autonomy could be eroded as assemblies become implementers of centrally prescribed projects rather than planners guided by their medium-term development plans.
Additionally, the Minority pointed to possible administrative confusion arising from the coexistence of the parliamentary formula and the ministerial guidelines.
Beyond the guidelines controversy, the Minority raised concerns over DACF capping and persistent arrears, arguing that constitutional provisions requiring a minimum allocation of five percent of national revenue to the Fund have not been consistently honoured.
The caucus cited Supreme Court precedent reinforcing the non-negotiable nature of the threshold and alleged that transfers in recent years had fallen short.
The Minority estimated DACF arrears for 2024 alone at approximately GH¢7.33 billion, saying the backlog has contributed to stalled projects, unpaid contractors, and weakened local development planning.
The caucus contrasted the situation with reported releases to other statutory funds, which it said highlighted fiscal prioritisation challenges.
The caucus consequently called for the immediate withdrawal or revision of the guidelines, a reassertion of parliamentary authority over DACF allocation, and stronger oversight to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements.
It also urged civil society and the media to sustain scrutiny over DACF management, insisting that transparency remains essential to safeguarding decentralised governance.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House