Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga has warned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) against using state vehicles for private errands after handing over 128 vehicles to local government authorities across the country.
Mr Ayariga cautioned the chief executives against using the vehicles for family events, visiting partners or travelling to their private farms, insisting that the vehicles must be used strictly for official duties.
He gave the warning on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, during a handover ceremony at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, Accra, where the 128 vehicles were presented to MMDCEs and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The vehicles are intended to strengthen the operational capacity of the assemblies, improve the monitoring of development projects and enhance public service delivery at the local level.
Mr Ayariga said the beneficiaries had a responsibility to protect the public investment, stressing that the conduct of local government officials must reflect integrity, discipline and accountability.
He also directed assembly authorities to institute strict maintenance regimes, promote responsible driving and establish effective accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse and unnecessary expenditure.
The Minister said the sustainability of the intervention would depend on the commitment of the beneficiaries to ensure the vehicles served their intended purpose and delivered tangible benefits to local communities.
As part of efforts to strengthen grassroots governance, Mr Ayariga announced plans to provide motorcycles to Assembly Members to improve their mobility and engagement with constituents.
The motorcycles are expected to help Assembly Members identify development challenges in their electoral areas, report community concerns and follow up on local projects more efficiently.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Tamale Mayor Abubakari Adam Takoro thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the intervention, describing it as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to strengthening local government administration.
He said the vehicles would improve the ability of assemblies to monitor projects, supervise administrative activities, engage communities and coordinate development programmes.
Mr Takoro assured the Minister that the beneficiary assemblies would ensure the vehicles were properly maintained and used exclusively for their intended purposes.
He stressed that the vehicles represented a public investment that must serve the collective interests of communities rather than the private interests of individual officials.
The deployment of the vehicles is expected to improve field supervision and strengthen the capacity of local authorities to monitor development projects and respond to community needs.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
