By Daniel Bampoe
In a major step toward enhancing local governance and incentivizing grassroots political engagement, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGRD) has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to submit updated records of their respective Assembly Members.
This move follows a provision made in the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, aimed at formalizing the payment of monthly allowances to all elected Assembly Members across the country.
A wireless message signed by Amin Àbdúl Rahaman, Chief Director of the Ministry, and addressed to all Regional Ministers and MMDCEs, sets a deadline of Friday, May 9, 2025, for the submission of the required data.
The Ministry has provided a standard template for collecting the details and has instructed recipients to send completed forms to the Decentralisation Unit of the Ministry via email, while copying Samuel Passah, a senior officer at the Ministry.
The directive, issued on April 30, 2025, forms part of the government’s broader “Resetting Agenda” as outlined on page 73, section 395 of the 2025 Budget.
According to the Ministry, the introduction of a monthly allowance is designed to acknowledge the critical role Assembly Members play in the implementation of local development initiatives and the democratic process.
Historically, Assembly Members have served largely voluntarily, often without regular compensation, despite their crucial responsibilities in community mobilization, oversight of local development projects, and lawmaking at the district level.
Over the years, various civil society organizations and governance experts have called for better support for these local representatives to boost accountability and performance.
This new policy is expected to not only improve morale among Assembly Members but also enhance the quality of service delivery at the local level.
The Ministry has described the initiative as urgent and has emphasized timely compliance to ensure the smooth rollout of the allowance scheme.
