Parliament questions Nkwanta North Assembly over sanitation fund spending

The Nkwanta North District Assembly will return to Parliament's Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources for further questioning regarding its use of sanitation funds, following a monitoring exercise that raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of its initial presentation.

The Committee, which assessed nine assemblies across the Oti Region, expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of Nkwanta North's report and has requested the Assembly provide additional clarification on outstanding issues. Ibrahimah Mohammed Zuwera, Member of Parliament for Salaga South and Committee member, confirmed that the Assembly would be invited back to supply further details before the Committee reaches its final conclusions.

Accountability beyond spending

Parliament's exercise is not merely checking whether funds were spent, but examining whether the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocations are being used for their intended sanitation purposes and delivering measurable improvements on the ground. The Committee is specifically assessing the 10% sanitation allocation from the DACF across all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Ms Zuwera stressed that public funds require strict accountability and warned assemblies against blaming implementation delays on DACF release delays when allocations have already been transferred. She noted that the two quarterly DACF allocations for 2026 have already been paid to assemblies.

The MP urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MCEs and DCEs) and their teams to provide factually accurate information during the accountability process, emphasising that transparency is essential for progress.

Why it matters for Ghana

The Nkwanta North case highlights a broader governance challenge affecting Ghana's local authorities. The DACF is critical infrastructure for district development, yet inconsistent implementation of sanitation projects raises questions about resource management across the country. If assemblies cannot demonstrate that sanitation funds translate into better water access, improved public health facilities, and waste management systems, Ghanaians in rural areas continue to suffer from poor service delivery despite allocated resources.

Parliamentary oversight of this kind is important for ensuring that decentralised funds actually reach their targets. The Committee's broader monitoring exercise across nine Oti Region assemblies suggests systemic accountability issues that may extend beyond Nkwanta North. If the pattern repeats nationally, it could explain why Ghana continues to struggle with sanitation challenges despite significant public spending.

For citizens, this accountability exercise signals that Parliament is paying attention to how local government spends money meant for essential services. It also sets an expectation that MCEs and DCEs must be truthful and thorough in their reporting, not blame external factors for poor performance when funds have been released.

The accountability framework

The Committee's investigation is part of a structured effort to improve local government performance in Ghana. By examining both spending patterns and outcomes, Parliament aims to identify genuine obstacles facing assemblies—such as capacity constraints or logistical challenges—versus cases where funds are misused or mismanaged.

Going forward, the findings from this monitoring exercise could inform policy changes, capacity-building programmes for assembly staff, or stronger oversight mechanisms. The emphasis on accurate reporting from DCEs suggests that Parliament may also be preparing recommendations on record-keeping and transparency standards for local authorities.