Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have been cautioned against redirecting the funds meant for projects for personal interests.

Speaking during his Thank You tour of the Bono East Region on Friday, May 30, President John Dramani Mahama stressed that anyone found liable will be dismissed.

MMDCEs in the coming days are expected to receive 80% of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).

The remaining 20% will be designated for projects managed by agencies such as the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), ensuring continued support for critical national initiatives.

According to President Mahama, the Fund is to support district assemblies in executing their duties in the regions.

He noted that although the initiative is a decentralized one, he indicated that each year, the government will assess the performance of each MMDCE to ensure accountability.

He warned the MMDCEs that anybody who falls below the belt shall be sacked.

“The Minister of Finance is about to release the first quarter of the District Assemblies Common Fund. As I said, 80% of the money is going directly to the regions for you to decide how to use it. So, MMDCEs, you have no excuse.

“We will send you the guidelines, approved at the last Cabinet meeting, to show how the funds should be disbursed. This will serve as your Key Performance Indicators. Every year, we will assess your performance, and based on that, we will decide whether you stay or go,” he said.

Meanwhile, Swiss Ambassador H.E. Simone Petra Giger expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to decentralization and reaffirmed Switzerland’s continued collaboration with Ghana in supporting local governance and national development.

“Ghana has a long history of decentralization reforms. While this was a courtesy meeting, we also received a positive signal from the minister, indicating that Ghana is entering a new phase of decentralization, which I believe will benefit the country.

“My visit today also signifies that Switzerland stands with Ghana, and we are here to stay. If Ghana is truly committed to taking the next step by granting more power and authority to local governments, we will be extremely happy to support that effort,” she stated.