A Performance Audit carried out by the Auditor-General (A-G) on Capital Projects funded through District Development Facility (DDF) in 30 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) has established higher completion rate for such projects as compared to other Government of Ghana (GoG) funded projects.

A report on the audit which has been submitted to Parliament revealed that 90% of DDF projects audited were completed on schedule in sharp contrast to projects funded by District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). The A-G attributed this to regular payments to contractors working on DDF projects. He noted that between 2008 and 2018, GoG had invested GH¢848,662,324 on small scale infrastructure projects through MMDAs in the country. Educational facilities represented 40% of the projects, sanitation had 15%, and health 12%. According to the A-G, these investments had significantly improved the socio-economic wellbeing of beneficiary communities.

Despite the achievements, the report noted some deficiencies which required immediate attention to give assurance of value for money for all projects undertaken by MMDAs. These included project implementation, payment for work done, and contract administration and maintenance.

The A-G has therefore recommended to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLRGRD) to institute internal controls to check the rate and quality of construction works executed before making payments. He also recommended that MMDAs must budget for and maintain completed facilities as well as complete ongoing infrastructural projects before commencing new ones.

He also charged Chief Executives of MMDAs to put in review mechanisms to ensure that annual action plans were monitored and updated to reflect implementation status. He also urged Coordinating Directors of MMDAs to improve their oversight functions to ensure that phases of projects undertaken are documented appropriately.
Also, works variations should receive necessary approvals before implementation, failure of which the works executed from such variations should not be paid for. He appealed to MMDAs to keep the sanctity of the internal audit processes.

The A-G conducted the performance audit in 30 MMDAs in line with Section 13(e) of the Audit Service Act 2000, Act 584, to ascertain whether the Assemblies were capable of planning, procuring, supervising and monitoring the delivery of projects in accordance with sound administrative principles to guarantee Value for Money.