The Minority in Parliament has intensified pressure on the government over what it describes as the persistent underfunding of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), warning that the situation is crippling local development across the country.

Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, cited Article 252(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that not less than five per cent of total national revenue must be allocated to the DACF.

He also referenced the 2019 Supreme Court ruling in Benjamin Komla Kpodo & Richard Quashigah v. Attorney-General, which struck down attempts to cap the Fund below the constitutional threshold.

“That ruling was clear. The five per cent is not negotiable,” he stressed.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh alleged that transfers from the Annual Budget Funding Amount in recent years have fallen significantly short of the constitutional requirement.

He described the trend as creating “an arrears trap” that leaves Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies chronically underfunded.

According to him, outstanding DACF obligations—estimated to run into billions of cedis—have stalled critical infrastructure projects, delayed payments to contractors, and undermined effective service delivery at the local level.

“When constitutional funds are delayed, communities pay the price,” he cautioned.