Programme Manager of the Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), Herbert Apaloo, said the latest Public Financial Management (PFM) Compliance League Table showed significant gains in compliance with public financial management laws across local authorities.

Speaking on theAsaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (16 July), Apaloo said the number of assemblies scoring above 50% rose sharply from just 12 in the 2024 assessment to 153 in 2025.

According to him, the improvement followed intensive capacity-building programmes organised for poorly performing assemblies after the previous assessment.

“We engaged the low-performing MMDAs with key stakeholders, strengthened their capacities in planning, budgeting, procurement, accounting and auditing, so we are not surprised by the improvements,” he said.

The league table assesses all 261 MMDAs against five key components of Ghana’s Public Financial Management Act: development planning, budgeting, procurement and contracting, accounting and reporting, and internal and external auditing.

Apaloo explained that the assessment was conducted using validated indicators developed with institutions including the National Development Planning Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Public Procurement Authority, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, the Internal Audit Agency and the Ghana Audit Service.

He said each assembly was given several opportunities to submit evidence before the final rankings were published.

“The process includes entry meetings, document reviews, follow-ups and mop-up exercises before final validation,” he said.

Among the biggest regional improvements was the Oti Region, whose average compliance score increased from just over 30% in 2024 to above 70% in the latest assessment.

Although all regions recorded improvements, Apaloo said the pace differed significantly across the country.

He noted that while many assemblies improved their compliance scores, some former top-performing assemblies slipped after being cited for financial irregularities in the Auditor-General’s report.

The CLGA said it would continue working with underperforming assemblies through technical support and capacity development programmes.