Government releases funds for Assembly Members’ allowances – Ahmed Ibrahim

By Prince Antwi July 10, 2026

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has confirmed that the government is honouring its commitment to pay monthly allowances to assembly members across Ghana’s 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Addressing Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee on Thursday, the Minister said President John Dramani Mahama fulfilled his 2025 campaign pledge by allocating funds to support the payment of allowances to both elected and appointed assembly members.

According to Mr. Ibrahim, the government released GH¢107 million to the Ministry’s Financial Controller by December 31, 2025, exceeding the GH¢100 million initially pledged by the President. The funds were subsequently disbursed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for payment to assembly members across the country.

He disclosed that Ghana currently has over 9,000 assembly members, comprising 6,272 elected members and 2,830 appointed members, all of whom are eligible for the allowance.

Each assembly member, he said, receives a taxable monthly allowance of GH¢1,300.

The Minister further announced that funds for the first-quarter 2026 allowances had been released this week and would soon be disbursed to beneficiaries.

Assembly members play a critical role in Ghana’s local governance system by representing their communities within district assemblies, mobilising residents for development initiatives, monitoring public projects and promoting accountability at the grassroots level.

For many years, assembly members have called for financial support, arguing that they perform essential public service without salaries and often bear the cost of carrying out their responsibilities.

The monthly allowance scheme was introduced to acknowledge their contribution to local governance and ease the financial burden associated with their work.

Mr. Ibrahim noted that the initiative forms part of the government’s broader decentralisation agenda, which seeks to strengthen local governance, improve accountability and enhance the capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to deliver development more effectively.