The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA) has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to improve records keeping and strengthen internal controls, following the release of the 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT).
Out of 261 assemblies nationwide, only 258 were assessed due to security and accessibility challenges in Akatsi South in the Volta Region, Bawku Municipal in the Upper East Region, and Nkwanta South in the Oti Region.
The report revealed worrying gaps in compliance, with only 12 assemblies scoring above 50 percent — none of them metropolitan assemblies. The national average stood at 33 percent, far below the 50 percent pass mark.
The assessment also exposed weaknesses in procurement, contracting, accounting, and reporting. No assembly scored up to 50 percent in financial reporting, while only four met the threshold in internal and external auditing.
The review also found that some assemblies overstated their achievements and failed to align annual action plans with their budgets.
Chairperson of the forum, Professor Goski Alabi, commended the CLGA and stakeholders for conducting the assessment but stressed the need for proper records management to address recurring failures.
“I trust that going back, we are going to work with local government authorities to ensure proper records keeping and management, so that by the next assessment more assemblies will pass the financial reporting component,” she said.
She also called on the Institute of Internal Auditors and the National Development Planning Commission to deepen engagement with assemblies and civil society, and to help disseminate information on internal processes.
The forum, held at the Erata Hotel in Accra, brought together civil society organisations, government agencies, and development partners to discuss the findings and policy implications of the 2024 PFM Compliance League Table.
Report by Elizabeth Yeboah for Asaase News in Greater Accra
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