The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, has outlined some structural and operational challenges that are impeding local governance and development at the local level.

Addressing a gathering of government officials and traditional leaders during an engagement in the Bono Region, Dr Thompson noted persistent shortfalls in Internally Generated Funds (IGF) across Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies are not merely financial constraints but symptoms of deeper systemic weaknesses.

He lamented that poor data systems, weak revenue administration, incomplete business registers, and ineffective enforcement continue to limit the ability of assemblies to mobilize adequate resources.

Dr Thompson averred that these challenges are compounded by widespread inefficiencies, including leakages, illegal practices, and misuse of public funds factors that directly undermine service delivery and public trust.

He emphasised that the issue is not only about the availability of resources but how existing resources are managed, opining that Ghana’s development challenges cannot be resolved without confronting both revenue mobilization inefficiencies and expenditure mismanagement.

The Chairman also underscored the importance of strengthening local economic systems, noting that national development is ultimately built on the performance of local economies. However, these local systems remain constrained by weak infrastructure, limited access to credit, and inadequate investment outside major urban centres.

He further pointed to the lack of reliable, disaggregated data as a major obstacle to effective planning. Without clear visibility on revenue flows, investment patterns, and credit distribution at the district level, policy interventions risk being misdirected and ineffective.

In addition, he highlighted persistent mismatches in human resource allocation within assemblies, where personnel are often assigned roles that do not align with their training, resulting in inefficiencies and reduced productivity.

The Chairman stressed that time management and operational discipline within public institutions also require urgent attention, describing time as a critical but often overlooked resource in national development efforts.

He called for a renewed focus on accountability, transparency, and efficiency, urging that assemblies not only improve revenue collection but also clearly demonstrate how public funds are utilized. Building public trust, he noted, is essential to improving compliance and strengthening governance.