The Distinguished Convener and the Coordinating Director Hon. District Chief Executive Hon. Member(s) of Parliament Our Revered Traditional Authorities, Chiefs and Queen Mothers Hon. Assembly Members Representative of the Chief Justice Leaders of Faith Based Organisations Our Friends from the Media Distinguished Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen

1. I am happy to join you through my able representatives, at this nationwide inauguration of District Assemblies, following the successful conduct of the District Level Elections in December last year.

2. Let me congratulate all the Elected Assembly and Unit Committee Members for their success at the polls. I have also in accordance with the 1992 Constitution of the Republic appointed 30 percent of Assembly Members who together with those elected, as well as your Member (s) of Parliament and District Chief Executive constitute the membership of this Assembly. You, as Assembly Members, have the mandate to deliberate, plan, mobilize resources, make decisions including by-laws to ensure the transformation of your Districts towards the Ghana we all want.
Hon. Assembly Members,
3. Today’s occasion marks another important milestone towards deepening decentralisation as stipulated in Article 35 Clause 6(d) of the 1992 Constitution. Indeed, this Article enjoins the state to promote decentralisation and popular participation in governance by affording all possible opportunities to the citizenry to participate in decision making at all levels of government.

4. The decentralisation reforms that started in 1988 with only one hundred and ten (110) District Assemblies have made progress in several fronts. Today, as we inaugurate 259 District Assemblies out of a total of 261 (with the exclusion of Nkoranza South Municipal and Nkoranza North District Assemblies whose tenure is yet to end), we can all agree that government is closer to the people than it had ever been in the history of this country. As we constitute the membership of the District Assembly, it is envisaged that new ideas and opportunities would emerge to deepen the deliberative, legislative and executive functions of the District Assembly.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
5. The Constitution spells out clearly the process through which we should decentralize governance to the local level. After three (3) decades of its promulgation, this remains very much a work in progress. The instinct of the average citizen is still to look towards Accra or their Members of Parliament for things that fall within the remit of the District Assembly. I am expecting that you would be part of the team that finally change the status quo and deepen local governance and decentralisation to enable the citizens have access to basic public services in their Districts rather than demanding for such services from Accra.

6. This, therefore, calls for your continuous capacity building as well as sensitization of all citizens on the tenets of decentralisation and Ghana’s local governance system.

Hon. Assembly Members,
7. It is an honour and privilege to be elected or appointed to serve the residents of your localities. I therefore entreat you to build good working relationships with your colleague Assembly Members, the Hon. District Chief Executive, Member (s) of Parliament, Staff of the District Assembly, and the people you represent. You should also establish strong partnerships and collaborate with the local structures particularly, the urban, town, zonal and area council, the unit committees and traditional authorities as well as other identifiable groups to facilitate the work of the District Assembly. It through these partnerships and collaborations that the ideals of local governance are optimized for the benefit of the people.

Hon. Assembly Members,
8. The District Assembly is being inaugurated at a time when efforts are being made by Government through the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) to improve on the mobilisation of Internally Generated Funds (IGFs) of the MMDAs. To this end, I wish to entreat you to work closely with each other to create innovative ways of mobilising the needed resources for the development within your areas.
Hon. Assembly Members,
9. As I address you at your inaugural meeting to commence a 4-year tenure (ie 2024-2027), take note that the District Assemblies are a critical part of our governance structure and processes with a significant role dedicated to local institutions. The District Assemblies are mandated to support the government to deliver on its programmes and projects to the benefit of the people. Together with your DCE, I entreat you to advance the implementation of the Government’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (2022-2025): Agenda for Jobs II: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All. Therefore, in your deliberations, planning and decision making for development, ensure that you localise these national development priorities into your action plans.

Hon. Assembly Members,
10. The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development has formulated several sector policies that contribute towards the national agenda. Critical amongst these are, the:
i. National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy;
ii. National Urban Policy and Action Plan;
iii. Local Economic Development Policy and Action Plan; and
iv. National Rural Development Policy.

As you deliberate on development intervention in your local areas, it is important that these policies guide your decision-making processes. Any local project and programmes will need to be aligned with these national and sectoral policies.

Hon. Assembly Members,
11. The leadership challenges at the district level are enormous and complex. Section 16(1) of Act 936 mandates you to maintain close contact with the electoral area; consult the people on the issues to be discussed in the District Assembly; collate their views, opinions, and proposals; and take part in communal and development activities. In the performance of these roles and responsibilities, Assembly members are unable to effectively deliver because of inadequate resources. This has caused disaffection and cynicism about the important roles that Assembly members play in participatory governance and local development.

12. While efforts are being made to address these resource constraints, you should also acquaint yourself with all the relevant laws on local governance to avoid unneeded conflicts with your Hon. District Chief Executive, traditional authorities, opinion and religious leaders and other key stakeholders in your localities.

13. The government is keen on building your capacity to provide local leadership. Hence, we have retooled the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) with the state-of-the-art facilities and other training resources to enable them effectively provide the needed training for your competence enhancement. As a first step, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, through the ILGS, will in the next few weeks organise your orientation and training to enable you appreciate the expected roles and responsibilities.

Hon. Assembly Members,
14. In 2020, your predecessors’ attention was drawn to a major challenge relating to unplanned and haphazard development within the jurisdiction of most District Assemblies. This phenomenon has serious implications for national development and public safety. Therefore, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development together with Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) held consultative meetings to apprise the citizenry on guidelines for planning and development permitting in Ghana. As you begin work, it is my ardent hope that you will help enforce planning standards and compliance of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), as well as other regulations governing human settlements and spatial planning.

Hon. Assembly Members,
15. Let me also emphasize that good governance entails active participation of the citizenry in the development process. Consequently, your District Assembly must create platforms including town hall meetings, community durbars and deploy other digitalized citizens’ engagement tools to enhance the relationship between duty bearers and the citizens. In so doing, we give meaning to the provisions under sections 40 to 48 of the Local Governance
Act, 2016 (Act 936).

16. Finally, let me remind you that your people require of you; selflessness, devotion to duty, a very accountable stewardship and above all, your ability to articulate the needs of the people to guide the district development agenda and ultimately, improve the quality of their livelihoods and wellbeing.

17. I wish you a successful tenure and I now have the pleasure to formally
declare the (Insert name of Assembly) duly inaugurated.

18. Congratulations and May God Bless us all and make our Nation Great and Strong.