SIAKON MEDIA

The political mystery of DACF allocations

By Ebenezer Hanson

From 2000 -2004, a total of GHc178,210,741.69 was allocated to the districts. The breakdown is as follows: In 2000, GHc17,189,428.95 representing a percentage increase of 23.82 %; 2001, GHc26,694,000.00 translating into 55.29%; in 2002, GHc8,277,300.00 representing -68.99%; in 2003, GHc52,343,280.00 accounting for 532.37% and in 2004, GHc73,706,672.75 which is 40.81%.

It could be observed that although in absolute terms 2004 received the highest allocation of GH?73,706.626.75, a total annual percentage increase of 40.81%; 2003, an election year, received GHc52,343, 280 which translates into a whooping 532.37% total annual increase.

A similar pattern of allocation repeated itself from 2005-2009. In 2005 a sum of GHc75,108,794.60 was released to the districts representing a total annual increase of 11.37% percent and in 2006, GHc121,995,271.53, this translates into 55.38 percent. Now in 2007, another election year, a total amount of GHc 200,767,875.00 accounting for a total annual percentage increase of 64.57 (approximately 65%), the highest percentage increase in the four-year period under review.

                                                                                               
From 1994-1999, the Upper West Region received the largest allocation of GHc 43,722,261.05. It was followed by Upper East Region which received about GHc30 million and the Ashanti Region approximately GHc10million.

For the period 2000-2004, out of a total national disbursement of GHc178,210,741.69, the Ashanti Region received the highest disbursement of GHc28,287,728.93 and Upper West Region received the smallest of GHc8,271,944.18. The highest and smallest receipts from the DACF disbursement for the period 2005-2009 went to Ashanti and Upper West Regions respectively.

From 1994 to 2009 inclusive the government of Ghana allocated a total amount of GHc1,067,332,261.19 to the 170 districts. An amount of GHc118,899,815.82 representing 11% was disbursed from 1994-1999, while a total of GHc178,210,741.69 representing 17% and GHc770,221,703.68 translating into 72% of the total were disbursed during the 2000-2004 and 2005-2009 periods.

Article 252(2) of the Fourth Republican Constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Constitution, Parliament shall annually make provision for the allocation of not less five percent of the total revenues of Ghana to the District Assemblies for the development; and the amount shall be paid into the District Assemblies Common Fund in quarterly installments.

Article252 (3) adds that, "The moneys accruing to the District Assemblies in the Common Fund shall be distributed among all the District Assemblies on the basis of a formula approved by Parliament."

There have been arguments as to what should constitute total revenue. Some argue it should include all taxes and loans while others are of the opinion that loans should be excluded. Some concerned citizens believe that the best forum to resolve the disagreement is the Supreme Court.

The Fourth Republican dispensation started with 110 districts, but presently the number stands at 170. The disbursements from the DACF are meant for development projects in the districts.

The district assemblies are creations of Local Government and Decentralization programme as captured under Article 240(1) which stipulates that - Ghana shall have a system of local government and administration which shall, as far as practicable be decentralized". Article 240(2)(a) states that - Parliament shall enact appropriate laws to ensure that functions, powers, responsibilities and resources are at all times transferred from the Central Government to local government units in a coordinated manner.

The functions of the district assemblies are provided for in part under Article 245. It says, "Parliament shall, by law, prescribed the functions of District Assemblies which shall include-(a) the formulation and execution of plans, programmes and strategies for the effective mobilization of the resources necessary for the overall development of the district; (b) The levying and collection of taxes, rates, duties and fees.

It appears however that, district assemblies have become overly dependent on the DACF and have done little to mobilize revenue within their jurisdiction for local development. It is this over-dependence that politicians apparently exploit to enhance their electoral fortunes.

Source: Public Agenda

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Kpando, July 16, GNA - Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has called for the doubling of the percentage threshold of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to 15 percent from the present 7.5 percent.

He said this was necessary as the impact of the DACF and the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) had failed to address the corresponding responsibilities placed on the Assemblies.

Mr Afriyie-Ankrah said this during the inauguration of eight development projects worth 489,000 dollars financed through the District Development Facility (DDF) for the Kpando District.

He said Uganda, a recipient of Ghana's decentralization concept, has raised its threshold to 30 percent to bridge the financing gap and to meet the demands of its constituents at the grassroots level.

Mr Afriyie-Ankrah urged the Assemblies to evolve prudent strategies towards harnessing and mobilizing all potential revenue sources.

Mr Joseph Z. Amenowode, the Volta Regional Minister, said the  potential for the IGF as a source of finance service delivery had not been fully exploited.

He said government would continue to deliver on its development agenda to ensure that all constituencies' benefit from the national development programme without any discrimination.

"Let us refocus and redirect our energies towards achieving the national good," Mr Amenowode said

GNA

Gov't would ensure equitable distribution of resources

Manso-Nkwanta (Ash), June 21, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, has pledged the government's determination to ensure equity in the distribution of the nation's resources.

He said no community would be denied its share of development by way of access to education, health, sanitation, potable water and good roads.

Mr Opoku-Manu was addressing the chiefs and people of Manso-Nkwanta in the Amansie West District, during an inspection of on-going projects in the area.

Included in the projects were a GH¢ 185,019.66 assembly hall at Manso-Nkwanta, Japanese Government funded six-unit classroom block at Manso-Suntreso, the Adwumam and Brofoyedru rural electrification projects.

The Regional Minister said in line with government's goal of enhancing teaching and learning in schools, the district has been supplied with more than 46,000 exercise books and 2,000 school uniforms for distribution to pupils.

Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah, Omanhene of Manso-Nkwanta Traditional Area, said they were grateful to the government for the various projects it was implementing in the district.

He, however, complained about the bad nature of the roads in the area and appealed to the Minister to help improve the situation.

Nana Bi-Kusi also called for the construction of a district hospital at Manso-Nkwanta.

GNA

The blackmail of DCE's must stop - Obimpeh

Kumasi, April 16, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, has expressed outrage about reports that some District Chief Executives (DCE's) in the region were being blackmailed by unscrupulous party activists.

He said these people were said to be going round carrying with them a purported list of DCEs they claimed had been marked for removal from office and demand from them huge sums of money under the pretext of using their influence with some "big men" to help them keep their jobs.       

"What is disgusting is that some of them are alleged to be associating my name with the disgraceful and criminal conduct", Mr Obimpeh looking visibly irritated, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Thursday.          

He called on all government officials, who had been duped through such dubious means to help to unmask the offenders by reporting them to the police.

Mr Obimpeh said he was not aware of any decision by government to sack any DCE in the region for non-performance.

"They have been in office for just about a year and if any of them is not delivering as expected, our duty is to help them to lift their performance," he said.

The NDC Regional Chairman also cautioned those nursing an ambition for political appointment to be wary of the influence of such peddlers.

He said they should neither be swayed by their "sweet promises" nor give in to their monetary demands

GNA