South Tongu DCE Urges Local Assemblies to Use Statutory Funds as Catalyst for Economic Independence

Hon. Victoria Dzeklo, District Chief Executive for South Tongu, has called for a fundamental shift in how local governments manage subnational development funds. Speaking after a high-level stakeholder engagement, she urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to move beyond reliance on central government releases and instead treat statutory allocations as strategic equity to drive grassroots economic growth.

The remarks came following the Volta Regional leg of the nationwide tour by the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the Ho West District Assembly Conference Hall in Dzolokpuita. The forum convened key figures including DACF Administrator Mr. Michael Harry Yamson, Volta Regional Minister Hon. James Gunu, the Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, and Municipal and District Chief Executives from across the region.

“We Must Leverage National Allocations for Sustainable Local Development”

Hon. Dzeklo emphasized that local authorities must embrace innovation and fiscal prudence to unlock the full potential of available resources. According to her, the era of total dependency on central government disbursements should give way to a more proactive approach where statutory funds are deployed to stimulate private enterprise and community-led initiatives at the grassroots level.

Participants at the engagement deliberated extensively on systemic fiscal reforms and improved local governance metrics. The discussions highlighted the need for greater efficiency in the utilization of the District Assemblies Common Fund and other statutory allocations to address persistent development challenges while fostering self-reliance among the assemblies.

The stakeholder forum forms part of ongoing national efforts to strengthen fiscal decentralization and enhance the capacity of local governments to deliver tangible development outcomes. Hon. Dzeklo’s intervention is expected to contribute to broader policy conversations on transforming the administration of subnational funds across Ghana.