Governance analyst Dr. Abiire Awineyesema has warned that partisan politics and weak local governance structures are undermining development efforts in some district assemblies across Ghana.
Speaking on Dreamz FM’s Breakfast Today program, Dr. Awineyesema said the failure of some assemblies to secure high scores under the District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT) was linked partly to political disagreements and poor understanding of governance responsibilities.
He said local governance was established to bring development closer to communities and reduce inequalities created by centralized development systems.
According to him, decentralization aims to address marginalization and reduce what he described as “migration by force,” where people move from deprived areas to urban centers because of uneven development.
Dr. Awineyesema said district assemblies are expected to follow strict governance procedures, including holding regular meetings, approving budgets, discussing audit reports and monitoring service delivery.
He noted that assemblies that fail to comply with these procedures lose access to substantial performance-based grants that could support community development.
The governance analyst pointed to Bongo District Assembly’s poor performance in the 2024 DPAT assessment, saying prolonged disagreements over the election of a presiding member affected the assembly’s ability to meet compliance indicators.
He said assembly members sometimes prioritize political interests over development needs, weakening accountability and effective oversight of technocrats and district chief executives.
According to him, assembly members must recognize that they represent the interests of their communities and not merely political parties.
Dr. Awineyesema also stressed the importance of community engagement, saying district chief executives and assemblies must organize regular public forums to explain development projects and governance activities.
He warned that assemblies risk losing significant development funding if they fail to comply with evolving DPAT requirements, noting that compliance indicators have expanded in recent assessments.
Dr. Awineyesema urged assembly members to strengthen collaboration with technocrats and focus on local development rather than partisan conflicts.
He said improved governance at the local level would help assemblies secure more funding for infrastructure, sanitation and public services.
