𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐇¢𝟗𝟖𝟕.𝟗𝟔 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 (𝐃𝐀𝐂𝐅) 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐃𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
The disbursement, he said, underscored the government’s renewed commitment to fiscal decentralisation and the empowerment of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country.
He stated further that the amount had already been transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the DACF Administrator and would be governed by strict Cabinet-approved guidelines to ensure transparency and alignment with national development goals.
Breakdown of Fund Allocation
The Finance Minister detailed how the funds are to be utilised, with a focus on priority development sectors:
- 25% – Design and construction of 24-Hour Economy Model Markets
- 10% – Construction of health facilities (minimum of 2 CHPS compounds per Assembly)
- 10% – Construction of educational facilities (1 KG block, 1 primary, 1 JHS block)
- 10% – Provision of potable water (minimum of 10 boreholes for rural Assemblies)
- 10% – Environmental sanitation (solid and liquid waste management)
- 10% – Provision of school furniture
- 5% – Administration, including monitoring and evaluation
- 20% – Completion of abandoned legacy projects, including uncompleted infrastructure under the Middle Belt Development Authority, Coastal Development Authority, and Northern Development Authority
Dr. Forson stressed that the Administrator of the DACF is required to ensure the direct transfer of 80% of the funds to the Assemblies and to submit expenditure returns to the Ministry of Finance before any further disbursements are made.
He also urged Members of Parliament to monitor the use of the funds in their respective districts to ensure alignment with the approved guidelines and to promote transparency and development at the local level.
- 25% of the amount transferred to the District Assemblies is to be utilised for the design and construction of 24-Hour Economy Model Markets.
- 10% for the construct of health facilities (minimum of 2 CHPS compounds) per Assembly.
- 10% for the construction of educational facilities (1 KG block, 1 primary school block and 1 Junior High School block).
- 10% for the provision of potable water (minimum of 10 boreholes for rural Assemblies).
- 10% for environmental sanitation (solid and liquid waste management).
- 10% for the provision of school furniture.
- 5% for the administration of the Assemblies, including monitoring and evaluation.
- And finally, recognising the need to complete abandoned legacy projects, including the numerous uncompleted structures left behind by the Middle Belt Development Authority, Coastal Development Authority and the Northern Development Authority, we have allocated a whopping 20% to fix the mess.
The finance minister indicated that the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund is required to ensure that 80% of this amount is transferred directly to the Assemblies without fail and expenditure returns submitted to the Ministry of Finance before subsequent releases will be made.
He charged Members to monitor the utilisation of these amounts sent to their respective assemblies in line with the approved guidelines by Cabinet.
