Accra – Wednesday, September 10, 2025: The Local Government Service Council (LGSC) led by the Chairperson, Ambassador Akua Sena Dansua, has paid a courtesy call on the Controller and Accountant-General, Mr. Kwasi Agyei, at his office in Accra.
In her remarks, Ambassador Akua Sena Dansua disclosed that the purpose of the visit, was to among other things formally introduce members of the newly constituted Council to the Controller and Accountant-General. The visit also aimed at engaging in discussions on key matters of mutual interest, strengthening collaboration and good working relationship between the Local Government Service (LGS) and Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) for improved public service delivery.
Speaking to the challenges of the Local Government Service, the Head of Service, Prof. Lord Mensah, commended the longstanding working relationship between the Local Government Service and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD). He acknowledged that the Service is currently facing a number of challenges that require urgent attention and support from the CAGD.
He cited, among others, the lack of effective oversight over Finance Officers assigned to the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and the absence of a harmonised sanction regime for officers found culpable of financial infractions. He also highlighted the delayed payment of salaries to approximately 160 newly recruited LGS staff, with some cases outstanding for as long as eighteen months. Prof. Mensah stressed that addressing these challenges would require sustained collaboration and clear policy guidelines from the CAGD, alongside efforts to eliminate administrative bottlenecks.
To this end, he proposed enhanced collaboration in key areas such as strengthening payroll management systems to ensure transparency and prevent fraud, implementing joint training programmes in financial administration and payroll management, and leveraging digital transformation to drive operational efficiency. He also underscored the importance of data synchronisation between the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) and the CAGD, to ensure accuracy and alignment of human resource and payroll records through effective data sharing and integration.
In response, Mr. Kwasi Agyei expressed appreciation to the Head of Service and the Council members for the visit, describing it as a timely and strategic opportunity to deepen institutional synergy, particularly in the area of public financial management. He reaffirmed the CAGD’s commitment to addressing the issues raised and pledged to fast-track the necessary actions through robust institutional reforms.
The Chairperson, Ambassador Akua Sena Dansua, in a closing remark, expressed appreciation on behalf of the Local Government Service Council (LGSC) to the CAGD team for the insightful interactions at the meeting. She also recommended the need for a liaison to be assigned for the dissemination of information between the Local Government Service and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department in order to ensure timely responses.
Ambassador Akua Sena Dansua reaffirmed the LGS’s readiness to partner with the CAGD in building a more professional, efficient, and accountable public service.