The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee (IMCC) on Decentralisation has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating the implementation of Ghana’s decentralisation agenda with emphasis on effective devolution, sustainable financing, institutional coordination and improved public service delivery.

The commitment was reaffirmed at a high-level meeting of the IMCC held on Monday, August 31, 2026, and chaired by Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.

The meeting reviewed key policy, institutional, legislative, financing and implementation priorities for strengthening Ghana’s local governance system.

The IMCC said the approval of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework (NDPS 2026–2030) provides an important foundation for advancing the country’s decentralisation agenda but stressed the need to move from policy formulation to tangible implementation.

“The Committee therefore reaffirmed its commitment to providing strategic policy coordination and oversight to accelerate implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework (2026–2030), with emphasis on effective devolution, sustainable financing, institutional coordination, citizen participation, and measurable improvements in local governance and public service delivery.”

The Committee also reaffirmed the need for a coordinated approach involving government institutions and other stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of the decentralisation reforms.

“The IMCC reaffirmed that the successful implementation of Ghana’s decentralisation agenda requires a coordinated, wholeof government and whole of society approach involving central government institutions, the Local Government Service, MMDAs, development partners, civil society, traditional authorities, academia, and citizens.”

The meeting further considered ongoing legislative and administrative reforms including the review of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), and the legislative framework governing the Ghana Health Service and teaching hospitals.

The Committee also discussed measures to strengthen local government financing including increased District Assemblies Common Fund allocations to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), enhanced internally generated revenue and efforts to expand the fiscal space available for local development and service delivery.

Progress towards the devolution of key sectors including education, health and roads, was also reviewed.

The IMCC said the transfer of functions to the local level must be accompanied by the necessary resources and accountability mechanisms required to ensure improved service delivery.

It also highlighted the importance of public awareness and citizen engagement, noting that effective decentralisation requires informed citizen participation, ownership and accountability.

In her remarks as chair of the meeting, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang stressed the importance of decentralisation to effective governance and citizen participation saying “the area of decentralisation for some of us is what governance should be about. That should be the basis because it gives us the opportunity to serve, and that is why we are in government”.

She said the process must ultimately focus on the welfare of citizens and the environment with citizens actively involved in governance.

“Devolution is very, very important for us to ensure that we are working with, not so much as working for. And we work with when we listen, when we engage, when we respect and when we involve everybody to be part of it,” the Vice President added.