An assessment of local authorities donor fund management systems report

Following a national requirement for development partners and stakeholders to work with Local Government Authorities (LGAs), WaterAid, Ghana (WAG), has recently engaged LGAs as part of their focal districts to support the implementation of WAG’s core functions. Hitherto, District Assemblies (DAs) were outside the sphere of WAG’s partners, irrespective of the fact that DAs are traditionally responsible for WAG’s key concerns—water, sanitation and hygiene education services. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was recently signed between WaterAid Ghana and eleven LGAs and eight local NGO partners to serve as a framework of partnership for the implementation of water and sanitation interventions in the respective districts. Unsure of the level of readiness and institutional capacity of the DAs to effectively and efficiently manage transferred funds and deliver on contractual obligations, WAG instituted this study to among others, guide it on implementing the terms of the signed MOU. The six point objectives of the study were to: Ascertain the level of staff competencies in managing donor funding at the DA level; Assess the quality of responsive leadership at the DA level and how it is linked with resource management of the DA; Review the financial systems and procedures for donor fund management and how it is being implemented; Ascertain accountability mechanisms with respect to donor fund management at the DA level; Ascertain reporting procedures for donor funding; Provide recommendations to WaterAid Ghana that would guide and maximize on implementation of the terms of the signed MOU.