The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has issued a stern warning to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), stating that those who fail to perform will be dismissed by March 31, 2026.

According to the minister, government will not tolerate inefficiency, poor attitude to work or failure to implement national policies at the local level. He stressed that MMDCEs are central to the delivery of government programmes and must show tangible results in their districts.

Mr Ibrahim made the remarks during a familiarisation visit to the Bono Regional House of Chiefs in Sunyani last Monday. He noted that flagship initiatives such as the 24-hour economy are aimed at accelerating development and improving living standards, and must be actively driven by district chief executives.

He urged MMDCEs to prioritise sanitation and invest in critical infrastructure, including Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, classroom blocks and agricultural projects.

Warning against complacency, the minister cautioned MMDCEs not to become “armchair executives,” but to be visible and proactive in their communities.

“Don’t always sit in your office. If you are an MMDCE and you fail to do your work well, by March 31, 2026, you will be sacked,” he warned.

Mr Ibrahim explained that performance assessments would be based on reports from the Social Accountability Committee (SAC) and other government accountability structures. He added that President John Dramani Mahama had similarly cautioned ministers and political appointees against poor performance.

“All the 60 ministers are working 24/7. The President himself hardly sleeps. We were given the mandate to work. As an MMDCE, are you implementing government policies?” he asked.

On funding, the minister said government had released the full 2025 District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), leaving MMDCEs with no excuse to cite lack of resources. He also confirmed that the three per cent allocation for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) had been paid, adding that the allocation would be increased to five per cent this year.

Mr Ibrahim further disclosed that an eight-member committee, chaired by the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, had been constituted to review applications from assemblies seeking elevation to municipal or metropolitan status.

He said ministries, government appointees and MMDCEs would soon be subjected to a nationwide accountability exercise, urging district executives to uphold transparency to avoid sanctions.

Meanwhile, the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, used the occasion to congratulate former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on his re-election as the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer.

He also commended the other contestants in the NPP presidential primary, including Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr Bryan Acheampong, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, for their performance in the contest.