Mahama orders MMDCES to declare assets by July 15

President John Dramani Mahama has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to declare their assets by July 15, 2025, in compliance with the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550).

“I remind you that you are required to declare your assets, and I expect all of you to do so by 15th July,” he stated.

The law mandates public officers to declare their assets upon assuming office to promote accountability and curb corruption.

Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have received a strong warning from President John Mahama that the usage of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) will be rigorously watched in order to maintain accountability and guard against abuse.

Speaking yesterday at an orientation program for the MMDCEs in Madina, Accra, the President emphasized that although his administration had given local authorities the largest share of the DACF (eighty percent), the funds must be used wisely for development rather than for personal benefit.

“The Auditor-General and other anti-corruption institutions will be watching your work,” President Mahama said, and added that, “This money is for the people, and any diversion or mismanagement will not be tolerated.”

Under his government’s “Reset Agenda,” the President exercised caution as part of larger initiatives to increase transparency in local governance.

He restated that the goal of resource decentralization was to speed up grassroots development rather than to enrich appointees.

According to the government’s 2024 manifesto, the orientation, which had as its theme “Strengthening Local Governance Through the Reset Agenda,” also emphasized the necessity for MMDCEs to give service delivery, employment development, and accountability first priority.

Among those in attendance were the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; the NDC General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey; the Executive Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama; the Chairman of the Council of State, Edward Doe Adjaho; and the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim.

The President emphasized that their nominations were a “public responsibility” requiring honesty and hard work rather than personal benefits.

“The Ghanaian people voted for a bold change and for a reset. Your actions and results must demonstrate that their trust was not misplaced,” President Mahama stated.

He cautioned the MMDCEs against complacency and sluggishness, saying that the period of political jubilation was past and that they now needed to provide the public with observable results.

“Ghana is at a crossroads, and the leadership of MMDCEs will determine whether the nation achieves inclusive growth or continues to drift,” the president emphasized.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com