Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, has claimed to have “exposed” what he described as constitutional inconsistencies and fiscal mismanagement within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration following the release of the 2025 District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Guidelines.
Addressing a detailed press briefing, he argued that the new guidelines conflict directly with the formula approved by Parliament under Article 252 of the 1992 Constitution.
According to him, the parliamentary formula was structured using empirical indicators such as equality components, needs-based factors and service pressure data to ensure equitable distribution among the country’s 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). However, he alleged that the ministerial guidelines introduce fixed national percentages for specific projects that do not appear in the approved formula.
“This is not interpretation; this is substitution,” he asserted, describing the move as constitutionally questionable.
The Minority Chief Whip further highlighted what he termed a “disturbing disparity” between DACF disbursements and releases to other statutory funds. He maintained that while the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the National Health Insurance Fund have received substantial transfers, DACF allocations remain plagued by arrears and delayed payments.
“The Constitution does not rank DACF as secondary. It is entrenched, protected and mandatory,” he emphasised.
He also referenced the 2019 ruling by the Supreme Court of Ghana in Benjamin Komla Kpodo & Richard Quashigah v. Attorney-General, which held that DACF allocations cannot be capped below five per cent of total national revenue. According to him, any deviation from that constitutional threshold would constitute non-compliance.
“We cannot preach decentralisation and practise fiscal centralisation,” he stated.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh concluded by calling for immediate corrective measures, including the introduction of a binding automatic computation mechanism to guarantee compliance with the constitutional five per cent requirement. He stressed that the Minority would continue to pursue its oversight role.
“When executive action drifts beyond constitutional boundaries, it is our duty to expose it. Accountability is not optional; it is the lifeblood of our democracy,” he declared.
