The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC) is using the second “National Dialogue on Decentralisation and Responsive Governance” to push for stronger local institutions, improved financing, and greater accountability in Ghana’s decentralisation system.

The two-day dialogue held in Accra brought together ministers of state, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, traditional and religious leaders, development partners, and other stakeholders to examine how decentralisation can deliver better public services and accelerate local development.

Held under the theme “Resetting Democratic Decentralisation for Accountable Public Service Delivery and Accelerated Local Development,” the dialogue was also providing a platform to assess Ghana’s decentralisation journey and chart the way forward.

The Executive Secretary of the IMCC, Dr Gameli Hoedoafia on the sidelines of the dialogue called for a fundamental reset of the system, saying the next phase must focus not only on institutions and the transfer of functions but also on the quality of services delivered to citizens and tangible development outcomes.

He stressed that the approval of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework 2026-2030 must translate into actual improvements in communities.

“Policy approval is not our finish line. It is our starting point. The real test now lies in coordination, effective implementation and delivery,” Dr Hoedoafia said.

He added that the ultimate measure of decentralisation should be seen in improvements in communities including roads, markets, health facilities, water systems, classrooms and other local infrastructure.

Opening the dialogue on Monday, August 10, 2026, the Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang emphasised that decentralisation must remain focused on bringing government and development closer to the people.

She noted the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework 2026-2030 provides a roadmap to deepen decentralisation, strengthen local governance institutions, improve public service delivery and accelerate development at the local level.

“The future of decentralisation depends on empowered institutions, meaningful citizen participation, genuine leadership and supportive policies,” the Vice President stated.

She also placed sanitation at the centre of the decentralisation agenda, saying the recent flooding had exposed weaknesses in waste management, sanitation practices and the enforcement of environmental standards.

“Cleanliness must become a daily discipline,” she said, adding that sanitation performance is now a key performance indicator for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

For his part, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim said strengthening decentralisation also requires giving Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) greater authority and financial capacity.

He mentioned the RCCs must be properly resourced to effectively supervise and support the assemblies.

He called for separate budgets for the RCCs instead of making them dependent on the District Assemblies Common Fund.

“So without empowering the RCCs, you, the Local Government Minister, cannot be efficient. That is the basic foundation for decentralization. The Ministry of Finance, the RCC cannot be dependent on Common Fund. They must be given a separate budget,” he stressed.

He cited his experience as an MP where a health centre was converted into a district hospital through the construction of a theatre and accommodation for a medical doctor while local incentives were used to attract health professionals to the area.

The discussions at the National Dialogue focused on how Ghana can move decentralisation beyond policy commitments and institutional arrangements to a system that delivers visible improvements in communities.

The IMCC said stronger coordination between central government, regional structures, MMDAs, traditional authorities, development partners and citizens will be critical to achieving that objective.