Sunyani Municipal Assembly tops 2023 District League Table
The Sunyani Municipal Assembly emerged the Best-Performing District with a score of 94.2 per cent on the 2023 District League Table unveiled in Accra yesterday.
Ayawaso West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region came second with 93.9 points followed by Sekondi-Takoradi Municipal Assembly with 90.2 score.
Tema Metropolis, 89.8; La Dade Kotopon, 89.7; Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly, 89.6; Korle-Klortey Municipality, 89.4; Techiman South Municipality, 89.2, Ekumfi District, 89.2 and Dormaa Central municipality, were the rest of the top 10 performing assemblies on the league table.
A representative, Centre for Social Policy Studies, University of Ghana, Dr Kwadwo Opoku, made this known during his presentation on the methodology and indicators of the 2023 District League Table (DLT).
The report ranked all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana based on 18 selected indicators across key sectors such as health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation, energy, child protection, and governance.
Dr Opoku said “these indicators were chosen based on their significance to people’s well-being, availability of reliable data, and ability to measure tangible outcomes rather than inputs.”
He added that the report revealed significant disparities among districts, “For instance, in the sanitation sector, while La Dade-Kotopon and Tema West municipalities scored 100 per cent, East Mamprusi managed only 12.1 per cent,”.
On regional bases, Greater Accra maintained its position as the best-performing region in DLT.
According to him, while Greater Accra continues to lead, other regions have also made notable progress.
He said the Eastern, Bono, and Western North regions recorded the highest improvements in their scores, showing steady growth in development and service delivery.
“However, not all regions experienced positive changes, The North East Region saw a decline in both its score and ranking, indicating ongoing challenges that need urgent attention,” he said.
Despite overall improvements across most regions, he said the three lowest-ranked regions remain in the northern part of the country, “This highlights the ongoing developmental gap between the northern, middle, and coastal zones”.
While some regions are advancing, others continue to struggle, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to ensure balanced national development.
He said the 2023 rankings reinforce the need for continuous investment in all regions, particularly those falling behind.
In terms of access to potable water, he said 17 districts achieved full coverage, yet Savelugu Municipality lagged far behind at just 10 per cent, adding that the health sector also showed sharp contrasts, with Korle-Klottey Municipality recording nearly 100 per cent in key health indicators while Ablekuma North scored only 28.8 per cent.
The Eastern, Bono, and Western North regions recorded the highest improvements in their scores, showing steady growth in development and service delivery.
However, not all regions experienced positive changes.
The North East Region saw a decline in both its score and ranking, indicating ongoing challenges that need urgent attention.
Despite overall improvements across most regions, the three lowest-ranked regions remain in the northern part of the country. This highlights the ongoing developmental gap between the northern, middle, and coastal zones.
While some regions are advancing, others continue to struggle, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to ensure balanced national development.
The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, emphasized the need for the Commission to focus more on research, including experimental studies, to shape development policies.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
