Prof. Goski Alabi: Accountability Must Be the Cornerstone of Local Governance
The Centre for Local Governance (CLGA) in its 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT) painted a sobering picture of Ghana’s decentralized system. Out of 258 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) assessed, only 12 surpassed the 50% benchmark. While the national average score showed a modest improvement — rising from 22% in 2023 to 33% in 2024 — the results point to persistent financial mismanagement across most Assemblies- citinewsroom,2025
These findings reignite a longstanding debate: should MMDCEs and assembly members be elected to improve performance and accountability?
Professor Goski Alabi, the Vice Chancellor of Accra Metropolitan University university , has weighed in on this discussion. For her, the question goes beyond the mode of selection. The deeper issue is accountability.
“Good governance begins at the local level. The focus must go beyond how leaders are chosen to how accountable they are,” she stressed.
Prof. Alabi cautioned that unless robust accountability systems are established, Ghana risks replicating at the local level the “moneycracy” already evident in national politics. “If that happens, it will be very difficult to reverse,” she warned.
Her position underscores an important principle: decentralization is not just about bringing governance closer to the people, but about ensuring that citizens can demand transparency, measure performance, and prevent corruption.
In her words, accountability must be seen not simply as a safeguard but as the very foundation of effective local governance.
📸 Photo Credit: Citi News
