Asiedu Nketia recommends upgrade of 32 districts and municipalities
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has recommended the upgrading of 12 municipalities to metropolitan status and 20 districts to municipalities as part of sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening decentralisation.
Presenting the report of the Committee for the Elevation of Districts and Municipalities at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs on Monday, February 24, 2026, Asiedu Nketia, who is the chairman of the committee, revealed that one district has also been proposed for direct elevation to a metropolis due to compelling demographic and economic factors.
“The committee finds it necessary to upgrade 12 existing municipalities into metropolises and one district to be upgraded to a metropolis because of very compelling reasons. Then, also, when it comes to the upgrading of districts to municipalities, we have recommended 20 districts to be upgraded into municipalities,” he said.
“Beyond the recommendation for an upgrade, we also found it necessary to bring other recommendations that are aimed at strengthening local governance and decentralisation, and we believe that if these recommendations are implemented, it will not be necessary in the future to establish such a committee. The upgrade will take the form of an automaticity when an upgrade is needed.”
Beyond the proposed upgrades, the committee is advocating for major structural reforms, including a standard manual to guide future elevations, a three-year development plan backed by seed funding for newly upgraded areas, and the introduction of municipal bonds to enable Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to raise funds from the capital market.
Speaking on the importance of practical implementation, Asiedu Nketia stressed that upgrades must not remain “on paper,” warning that the government must ensure infrastructure and services match the new status of affected assemblies.
The report also calls for the passage of a Local Government Finance Bill to empower assemblies to mobilise resources and accelerate development in their jurisdictions.
The committee’s recommendations are now under government review and subject to final approval before implementation.
