The District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) is unable to publish a release schedule because it does not generate funds by itself, the Administrator of the fund, Michael Harry Yamson, has said.
He explained that the fund derived its resources solely from statutory transfers made by the government, calculated as a constitutionally prescribed percentage of national revenue.
“These transfers are not automatic, as they are linked to actual revenue mobilisation and treasury releases, and have historically not always been timely.”
“For the fund to publish and adhere to a fixed timetable, there must first be an Automatic Transfer Mechanism that pays funds directly into a DACF account as revenues are collected.
Only then can the Fund consistently guarantee the quarterly disbursements to Local Government Authorities (LGAs) as prescribed by the Constitution,” Mr Yamson explained.
Mr. Yamson was reacting to a publication in the August 15, 2025 edition of the Daily Graphic headlined “Publish a Quarterly Timetable for Timely Disbursement of DACF – GDCA Urges Government.”
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The Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), a non-governmental organisation, had called for the release of a quarterly timetable for the disbursement of the DACF to ensure the timely disbursement of funds to MMDAs.
The association maintained that the irregular DACF releases continued to stall projects, disrupt planning and erode public confidence in local authorities.
Operational framework
However, Mr Yamson said while the call for predictability in disbursement was well intentioned, “the fund wishes to educate the public on the operational framework and constitutional mandate within which it operates.”
He added that another equally important dimension of the fund’s work was the monitoring of expenditure at the local level.
Mr. Yamson said the DACF required Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to submit monthly expenditure returns.
Those reports, Mr. Yamson explained, were not bureaucratic paperwork; “they are the central element of compliance monitoring, the foundation for the fund’s annual reporting to Parliament, which is a constitutional duty, and enable the early detection of financial infractions under the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA).”
Frequent delays
“In practice, however, assemblies frequently delay the submission of these returns, and the DACF cannot compel compliance beyond its mandate.”
“It is, therefore, critical that assemblies streamline their internal processes to ensure that returns are delivered within three to five working days after each month’s close. This would enhance accountability and create a stronger basis for predictable disbursement planning,” the administrator added.
Changes required
Mr Yamson explained that for a quarterly disbursement timetable to be both credible and sustainable, there must be an activation of an automatic transfer mechanism to ensure that the constitutionally mandated resources were transferred to the DACF account promptly.
Additionally, he said there must be an “improved reporting discipline by the LGAs, ensuring that monthly expenditure returns are submitted promptly and in full compliance with the PFMA.”
Mr Yamson gave an assurance that the DACF was committed to strengthening transparency, accountability, and efficiency in resource allocation.
“However, until the above changes are implemented, the publication of a rigid quarterly timetable would be misleading and impractical.”
“By clarifying these realities, the DACF seeks to ensure that public debate is grounded in the institutional and legal framework governing its operations and that reforms proceed on a sustainable and credible basis,” he concluded.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
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