The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralization (IMCC), Ghana’s central mechanism for inter-sectoral policy coordination and decentralised governance, convened its first meeting since the current government assumed office. The session was chaired by H.E. Prof Jane Naana Opku-Agyemang, bringing together sector ministers and representatives from Health, Agriculture, Education, Finance, Local Government, Gender, and other relevant agencies.
The meeting focused on reviewing the National Decentralisation Policy Framework and Strategy (NDPS) for 2026–2030, alongside discussions on the operational functioning of the IMCC and strategies to advance decentralisation reforms. The Committee emphasised that past regular meetings of the IMCC had significantly accelerated reform progress, citing achievements between 2010 and 2016, when long-standing reform challenges unresolved since 1989 were successfully addressed.
Central to the discussions was the NDPS (2026–2030) document, which provides a comprehensive roadmap for decentralisation across six thematic areas: Political Decentralisation, Administrative Decentralisation, Decentralised Planning, Fiscal Decentralisation, Local Economic Development, and Popular Participation and Accountability. Committee members examined the policy framework in detail, offering recommendations for refinement to ensure alignment with national priorities.
The IMCC reaffirmed its commitment to champion the implementation of national decentralisation reforms, pledging to prioritise activities within their respective mandates as outlined in the NDPS once formally approved. Officials underscored that consistent engagement, inter-agency collaboration, and strategic planning would be essential to achieving an effective, accountable, and participatory local governance system over the coming five years.
The government reiterated that the IMCC would remain a pivotal instrument in ensuring that Ghana’s decentralisation agenda progresses efficiently, with measurable outcomes benefiting local communities across the country.
This meeting signals the government’s renewed focus on strengthening local governance and institutional coordination to deliver long-term reforms and enhance service delivery nationwide.
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