By Roselyn Ganyaglo
Bia East District Assembly in the Western North Region has been ranked the best-performing local assembly in the 2025 Public Financial Management (PFM) Compliance League Table, ahead of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly in the Oti Region and Asokwa Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region.
The latest assessment also points to significant improvements in public financial management across local government, with the national compliance score rising to 50.2 percent from 33 percent in 2024—the first time the national average has crossed the 50 percent mark.
However, despite the gains, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Abena Osei-Asare, says Ghana continues to lose huge sums of public funds through financial irregularities at the local level.
Launching the 2025 PFM Compliance League Table in Accra, Madam Osei Asare revealed that more than GH¢452 million has been lost through financial irregularities across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) over the past five years.
“More than GH¢452 million in public funds has been lost through financial irregularities across district assemblies over the past five years,” she disclosed. She described the situation as unacceptable, noting that it reflects persistent weaknesses in compliance and internal controls.
“The persistent losses reflect weak compliance and poor internal controls,” she stressed. Madam Osei-Asare called for stronger internal audit systems, enhanced oversight and tougher sanctions against officials responsible for financial breaches.
“The Compliance League Table is a vital tool for promoting transparency, accountability and the prudent management of public resources,” she said. Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), Gladys Gillian Tetteh, said all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies participated in this year’s assessment.
According to her, more than 70 percent of assemblies met the benchmark in budgeting, planning, procurement and external audit. “Over 70 percent of the assemblies met the required benchmark in budgeting, planning, procurement and external audit,” she said. However, she noted that internal audit remains a major area of concern.
“Only 43 percent achieved the required standard in internal audit compliance,” Madam Tetteh revealed. She also highlighted the significant improvement in overall compliance, saying the number of assemblies meeting the 50 percent benchmark had increased dramatically.
“One hundred and fifty-three assemblies met the 50 percent compliance benchmark in 2025, compared to just 12 assemblies in 2024,” she said.
Despite the progress, Madam Tetteh noted that 41 percent of assemblies still failed to meet the benchmark. “This highlights the need for stronger oversight and continuous capacity building across local government,” she stated.
She urged all MMDAs to act on the findings of the assessment. “We call on every MMDA to carefully review its assessment results and develop clear, time-bound compliance improvement plans,” she urged. In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, called for greater coordination in assessing the performance of local assemblies.
“There is the need for a harmonised framework for assessing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies,” the Minister said. He also urged stakeholders to implement the report’s recommendations to strengthen public financial management and accountability at the local level.
Meanwhile, Board Chairman of the Center for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), Bernard Joe Apeah, encouraged assemblies to sustain the progress made while addressing the remaining challenges. “Assemblies must build on the areas of progress while addressing existing gaps with honesty and commitment,” he said.
Mr. Apeah also commended the European Union for supporting the initiative and praised the CLGA for sustaining the annual assessment.