“I will pay modest allowances to our Assemblymen and women” – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his promise to provide modest allowances to Assemblymen and women, fulfilling a key campaign pledge. Delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament last Thursday, President Mahama emphasized the critical role of local governance officials and his administration’s dedication to supporting them financially.

“I did promise to pay modest allowances to our Assemblymen and women. I am committed to that promise,” Mahama stated, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of these local representatives to Ghana’s decentralization process.

Decentralization has long been a central pillar of Ghana’s governance system, but President Mahama acknowledged that Assembly members, despite being vital to this process, have historically faced neglect and inadequate compensation. By instituting allowances, the government aims to provide them with the support needed to effectively perform their duties.

Additionally, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to electing Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) on a non-partisan basis. This initiative aligns with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto promise to democratize local governance further.

President Mahama first announced his intention to pay Assembly members an allowance during the 2024 election campaign. He reiterated this promise in December 2023, after casting his vote in the district-level elections in Bole, Savannah Region. He stressed the significant responsibilities of Assembly members and the need for financial support to help them execute their roles effectively.

“Assembly members carry great responsibilities, and if I am elected President, we will pay them an allowance to help them carry out the duties they have been elected for,” he stated.

Beyond allowances, President Mahama also pledged to increase the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) from 5% to 7%. This increase aims to provide more resources for local development projects and empower local authorities to address community needs independently.

“If God smiles on us and we win the 2024 elections, we are going to take decentralization seriously,” Mahama declared, emphasizing his administration’s focus on completing the decentralization process and genuinely transferring power to local governments.

President Mahama’s vision is to ensure that Ghana achieves genuine decentralization, with empowered local governments driving grassroots development. He believes that achieving full decentralization is critical to Ghana’s progress, stating, “Until we get our decentralization right, Ghana is not going to go anywhere, so we are going to take it seriously.”