Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip, says he has uncovered what he describes 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 press briefing, he argued that the new guidelines contradict the formula approved by Parliament under Article 252 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. He explained that the parliamentary formula relies on empirical indicators including equality components, needs-based criteria and service pressure data to ensure fair distribution among the country’s 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
However, he contended that the ministerial guidelines introduce fixed national percentage allocations for specific projects that are not reflected in the approved formula.
“This is not interpretation; this is substitution,” he said, describing the move as constitutionally questionable.
Annoh-Dompreh also pointed to what he termed a “disturbing disparity” between DACF disbursements and transfers to other statutory funds, including the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the National Health Insurance Fund. While those funds have reportedly received substantial allocations, he claimed DACF continues to face arrears and delayed releases.
“The Constitution does not rank DACF as secondary. It is entrenched, protected and mandatory,” he stressed.
He further referenced the 2019 Supreme Court of Ghana ruling 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 benchmark amounts to non-compliance.
“We cannot preach decentralisation and practise fiscal centralisation,” he stated.
He concluded by calling for immediate corrective action, including the establishment of a binding automatic computation mechanism to ensure adherence to the constitutional five per cent requirement. He maintained that the Minority would continue to exercise its oversight responsibility.
“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.
