…As Madina, Wa East assemblies top accountability list
By Ernest KISSIEDU
To help ensure that district assemblies in the country boost their development level, there is the need for the government to increase District Assembly Common Fund allocations to less deprived districts.
This will help to promote an increased accountability between decision-makers and citizens and improve the demand for and supply of quality public services.
This was disclosed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Center for Democratic Development (CDD)-Ghana at the launch of the District League Table 2016 in Accra last Thursday.
The two organizations believe that the development of a district is not the sole responsibility of the District Assembly but rather sits with a range of actors, especially those at the central level that allocate the majority of resources to the local level.
This means that for those Districts that are ranking near the bottom of the District League Table, it can be used to argue the case for increased national support toward them; thereby improving the equity of resources allocation and wellbeing across Ghana.
The District League Table is an independent tool for promoting social accountability and it is produced on annual basis by UNICEF and CDD-Ghana in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
This year’s District League Table marks the third year since initial publication and much has changed, in terms of the index itself and the impact that the table has made on raising accountability for development across the country.
The ranking tool shows national progress towards delivering development across Ghana’s 216 districts.
The methodology for assessing the performances of various districts is based on six key indicators namely: Education, Sanitation, Rural Water, Health, Security and Governance.
CDD-Ghana Research Officer, Mavis Zupork Dome noted that throughout the whole of Greater Accra region, no district can be declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).
“Greater Accra ranked second among the other regions and there was 1% improvement as compared to last year’s. The region scored 62% as compared to 61 in 2015. As a people, we have a bigger responsibility when it comes to sanitation issues,” Zupork Dome said.
According to her, the Greater Accra League Table 2016 had La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal at the first position with 77.8% whilst Ga South Municipal, which is in the 16th place within the region, had the lowest averaged score of 48.9%.
“The league table continues to highlight the major weaknesses in the accessibility of Ghana’s data and its communication to wider audience. No sector provides annual, up-to-date District data in public documents or line,” Zupork Dome acknowledged.
Adding her voice, Director for Research, Statistics and Information at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Dorothy Onny, said there is misconception that the introduction of the District League Table is a name and shame exercise.
“It is a means for measuring development and knowing the limitations and challenges facing the district assemblies. There is the confusion of not understanding the whole concept among chief executives and traditional authorities,” she lamented.
The most improved district was Wa East in Upper West Region.
