Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been directed to commit at least 20 per cent of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to capital projects that directly benefit the citizens.
This formed part of the requirements for preparing the 2027–2030 Composite Budgets to ensure that limited public resources were channeled into projects that improved service delivery and addressed the development needs of communities.
The Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, gave the directive in a speech read on his behalf at the Northern Regional Composite Budget Hearings in Tamale.
The meeting was to assess the MMDAs’ performance, review their development priorities, and ensure that government policies were translated into realistic, well-valued, and implementable programmes.
During the hearings, Nanton, Sagnarigu, Gushegu, Yendi and Tatali-Sangule MMDAs presented their composite budgets for consideration.
Their presentations covered implementation of their 2026 budgets, revenue and expenditure projections, development priorities, ongoing projects, and proposed interventions for the 2027–2030 period.
Dr Forson reminded all MMDAs to prepare and capture their 2027–2030 Composite Budgets using the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS Budget Module, to prioritise ongoing and completed projects with outstanding financial obligations before introducing new ones.
He urged them to ensure that their budget proposals remained within approved ceilings and reflected realistic revenue and expenditure estimates.
He also called on them to strengthen IGF and develop strategies to take advantage of opportunities arising from the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Dr Forson directed that all procurement processes be conducted through the Ghana Electronic Procurement System and encouraged the MMDAs and Regional Coordinating Councils to incorporate relevant HIV interventions into their development plans and allocate the necessary resources for implementation.
He said programmes and projects proposed in the budgets must have clear, measurable outcomes that would improve the lives of citizens.
Mr Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, Acting Chief Director, Northern Regional Coordinating Council, commended the MMDAs for their commitment to the exercise.