President John Dramani Mahama has announced that 80 per cent of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) should go directly to district assemblies to support local development projects, including healthcare facilities, classrooms and markets.
He made the announcement during an inspection of a newly constructed Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Ahyiaem in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region as part of his regional tour.
President Mahama said the decision was intended to strengthen local-level development by ensuring that district assemblies receive adequate resources to address the needs of their respective communities.
“When we assumed office, we ensured that the District Assemblies Common Fund, which had not been adequately allocated to the district assemblies in the past, was redirected to support development at the local level,” he said.
He explained that under the new arrangement, each district assembly was expected to construct two CHPS compounds, two classroom blocks and a market under the 24-hour economy initiative, with the projects distributed across different communities within each district.
The President said the initiative was aimed at expanding access to essential social infrastructure while empowering district assemblies to respond more effectively to local development priorities.
Free primary healthcare
President Mahama also highlighted the government’s Free Primary Healthcare initiative, explaining that residents could access healthcare services at CHPS compounds without necessarily being registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to him, the initiative was introduced to address gaps in healthcare access and move the country closer to universal health coverage.
“When we assumed office, only about 60 per cent of Ghanaians were enrolled on the NHIS, and the big question was, where were the remaining 40 per cent?” he asked.
He said the Free Primary Healthcare initiative was designed to ensure that people who were not enrolled on the NHIS could still access basic healthcare services at CHPS compounds across the country.
The President noted that access to primary healthcare at the community level was essential to improving public health outcomes and ensuring that people received medical attention closer to their homes.
Equipment and community outreach
President Mahama further disclosed that the Ministry of Health would register the newly constructed CHPS compound and provide the necessary equipment to enable it to begin operations.
He said the government would also provide tricycles under the Free Primary Healthcare initiative to support healthcare workers in delivering services directly to residents.
According to him, the tricycles would enable health personnel to conduct weekly household visits to monitor residents’ health and wellbeing and provide basic healthcare services within their communities.
The household visits, he explained, would help strengthen community-based healthcare delivery by allowing health workers to reach residents who might otherwise face difficulties accessing health facilities.
The inspection of the Ahyiaem CHPS compound formed part of President Mahama’s tour of the Ahafo Region, during which he assessed development projects and engaged with local communities.
The initiative reflects the government’s stated approach of combining investment in local infrastructure with expanded access to essential public services, particularly healthcare and education.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
