While the government’s decision to allocate GHC 100 million for the payment of monthly allowances to assembly members has been hailed as a “game changer,” Local Governance Expert Dr. Frederick Oduro believes the conversation must extend beyond just allowances.
According to him, the root of the problem lies in the economic viability of many assemblies, which struggle with inadequate resources to effectively function.
Dr. Oduro emphasized that many assemblies across Ghana exist by law but lack the financial strength to meet their obligations.
“We’ve created assemblies by law, and we should have been looking at their economic viability, but most assemblies are not economically viable,” he noted.
This financial instability, he explained, affects critical functions, including the ability to hold district and regional meetings as mandated.
The government’s intervention to support allowances is a crucial step in addressing immediate challenges, but Dr. Oduro insists that long-term solutions must focus on making assemblies financially self-sustaining.
“The coming on board of central government to support the payment of allowances can go a very long way to ensure that the assemblies can conduct their business,” he acknowledged.
However, he stressed the need for structural reforms that will empower assemblies to generate and manage their own revenue effectively.
