The National Development Planning Commission (GNPC) has launched the District League Table (DLT), an initiative of UNICEF-Ghana in partnership with Centre For Democracy Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), as a tool for tracking national development through the Metropolises, Municipalities, and Districts (MMDs).
The District League Table is an initiative that focuses on MMDs that are performing well and lends a helping hand to those who are facing a myriad of challenges. The 261 MMDs are ranked based on selected indicators from various sectors ranging from Education, Health, Child Protection, Sanitation, Nutrition, Energy, and Water, to Governance.
The District League Table has since its inception, highlighted significant disparities in the well-being of the 261 MMDAs, however, the primary objective is to prompt government and other stakeholders in prioritising and equally distributing resources that will enhance the development of each MMDA.
The goal of the 2023 DLT is to generate accurate District-level data and provide findings and recommendations with key messages to foster policy dialogue and actions at both the national and sub-national levels. This leads to the reduction in inequalities thereby leaving no child behind in achieving the SDGs.
Addressing participants at the launch on Thursday, 13th February 2025, the chairman of NDPC, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson stated that there is a need to give development a human face so that the rankings can translate into the living conditions of the Ghanaian people. He underscored the need to translate the various research into transformative policies that will directly impact the living standards of Ghanaians across all 261 MMDs. He further added that the DLT should be able to have a greater impact on the economy, where all sectors captured in the DLT will be equally equipped with needed resources to grow Ghana's economy.
“We should be able to feel the impact of rankings around town. We hear things like Sanitation for example being measured and it’s hard to walk in Accra and have a sense that nobody pays attention at all.” I will be surprised if any District here in Accra is ranked at the top in terms of sanitation.”
In the sectoral analysis for education, the Ayawaso West municipality topped the rank with Adaklu in the Volta being the 261st Municipality.
In terms of nutrition, Techiman South Municipality in the Bono region ranked 1st while Akrofuom District in the Ashanti region ranked 261st. The data shows a need to have a dialogue amongst the MMDs to formulate policies that would enable a comprehensive implementation of strategies that best work for high-performing MMDs.
Chief of Social Policy and Inclusion for UNICEF, Ms. Pauliina Sarvilahti stated that the continued widespread disparities among the districts as evidenced by the 2023 DLT report should be of great concern to all stakeholders who desire to see development reach everyone equitably, regardless of their district of residence.
Ms. Sarvilahti said, “Even as the top-ranked districts are being awarded through the district Assembly leadership today, UNICEF would like to take this opportunity to urge all stakeholders, especially the respective government ministries, departments, and agencies, to prioritise the low-ranking districts.