The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has questioned the Ayawaso North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mohammed Awal, over the municipality’s failure to utilize funds allocated for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market despite traders continuing to operate on the streets.
According to him, the primary objective of the Common Fund is to improve the lives of citizens through the provision of essential infrastructure and services, in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s development agenda.
During an engagement with municipal authorities on Tuesday June 23, the Minister expressed concern that funds released through the District Assemblies Common Fund had remained largely unspent for nearly a year while critical development projects remained uncompleted.
“You do not have a market, yet you have money allocated for a market project and have failed to build it. If that is the case, then it means you do not need the money. Parliament approved the disbursement formula.
“We approved GH¢58 million for you, and actual releases amounted to about GH¢42 million. Yet only about 10% of the funds have been utilized within a year,” he stated.
He stressed that development funds should not remain idle in bank accounts while communities continue to face pressing infrastructure deficits. He noted that while public officials continue to receive their salaries, residents are yet to experience the intended benefits of the funds allocated for development.
“People are being paid, but the people are not feeling the impact. What we consider most important is the impact of the money on the lives of the people,” he said.
Ahmed Ibrahim urged local authorities to prioritise projects that directly improve the welfare of residents, including markets, schools, health facilities and other critical infrastructure. He challenged the assembly to demonstrate tangible results from the funds received, emphasising that government would increasingly assess local authorities based on the impact of projects delivered rather than the amount of money allocated.
The Minister further questioned the rationale behind keeping large sums of public funds in bank accounts instead of investing them in development projects. “If you put GH¢30 million in a bank account and leave it there, what difference does it make to the people? Development funds are meant to improve lives, not sit in accounts,” he stated.
His comments come as government intensifies efforts to ensure effective utilisation of public resources and accelerate the implementation of projects under the 24-Hour Economy programme aimed at boosting productivity, job creation and economic growth across the country.
