Local Government Minister pledges to address absenteeism in MMDAs

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive headcount to address absenteeism across the metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs).

“We need ethical governance and leadership. Members of assemblies will clock in, and we’ll ensure those on payroll are at post,” he said.

He called on staff to uphold their professional standards and contribute to the Ministry’s mission with integrity and dedication.

“Let us all live lives worthy of our roles and calling in service to Ghana,” he said.

The Minister said this during his first day of interaction with the staff of the Ministry, project coordinators, and heads of departments.

Mr Ibrahim outlined his vision, which included deepening local governance, strengthening the chieftaincy sector, and facilitating the effective role of religious institutions, emphasising the importance of building on the strengths of the past to reset the sector.

He pledged inclusive leadership and ethical governance among staff to ensure the government attained its vision for the Ministry.

He said it was essential for the staff to collaborate, be professional, accountable and contribute to driving the Ministry’s agenda.

“This is an era of reset. In resetting, we don’t build upon the wrongs of the past but upon the strengths of the past,” he said.

He commended the personnel for their expertise while encouraging open communication and accountability.

The Minister said the importance of merging Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs into a single entity was to foster synergy and streamline governance.

That approach would deepen decentralisation, enhance effective service delivery, and ultimately benefit the people of Ghana, he said.

Mr Ibrahim pledged his commitment to strengthening grassroots governance through digitisation and efficient management.

“We are the grassroots government. When we do well, people feel it, and they praise the government.”

It was important to tackle sanitation challenges head-on, he said, urging staff to “hold the bull by the horns” to keep the cities and towns clean.

The Minister said chieftaincy disputes needed to be addressed and self-regulation and ethical conduct within religious institutions must be promoted.

He pledged to engage former ministers and retired professionals to guide initiatives, adding; “…I should not be doing trial and error. Let’s bring everyone on board.”

The Minister expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for the opportunity to serve, expressing optimism about the collective potential of the Ministry.