La Dade-Kotopon leads nation in Public Financial Management Compliance

The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) has emerged as the top-performing municipal assembly in Ghana’s 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT), achieving a remarkable score of 57.5%.

This places LaDMA ahead of 261 other assemblies nationwide and highlights its unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and sound fiscal governance.

The 2024 PFMCLT was officially launched by the Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), with funding support from the European Union (EU). The initiative is designed to assess and rank Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) based on their adherence to public financial management standards, including planning, budgeting, procurement, accounting, and auditing.

At the launch event held in Accra, the Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, Gladys Gillian Naadu Tetteh, emphasised the importance of the rankings in strengthening local governance.

“This league table is not just about numbers, it is a call to action. It holds our local governments accountable and encourages continuous improvement,” she stated.

She further noted that the national average compliance score rose to 33%, a significant improvement from the previous year’s 22%.

“We are encouraged by the steady progress being made in financial governance at the local level,” she added.

LaDMA’s success has been attributed to its robust financial planning, regular internal audits, and active citizen engagement in budgetary processes.

The assembly’s leadership has been praised for fostering a culture of fiscal discipline and setting a benchmark for other MMDAs to emulate.

The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development; the European Union; development partners; the Parliamentary Select Committee; and other dignitaries.

The chairman of the event, Professor Vladimir Antwi-Danso, in his closing remarks, commended LaDMA for its exemplary performance and urged other assemblies to rise to the challenge.

“Though only 4.5% of MMDAs scored above the 50% benchmark, this should serve as motivation for all to strive for excellence in public financial management,” he said.

The PFMCLT continues to serve as a vital tool for promoting good governance, efficient resource utilisation, and public trust in local government institutions. LaDMA’s achievement not only reflects its internal strength but also signals a broader shift toward improved financial accountability across Ghana.

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