{
  "id": 5750231,
  "title": "Local Government Ministry to support MMDAs to deliver gov’t agenda",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/local-government-ministry-to-support-mmdas-to-deliver-govt-agenda",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T08:38:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/local-government-ministry-to-support-mmdas-to-deliver-govt-agenda/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Upon assuming office, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, expressed his commitment to supporting all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and Regional Ministers in achieving the government's development objectives. Ayariga made this assurance during a courtesy call on His Eminence Sheikh Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam, which marked his first official engagement post-swearing in. The minister's portfolio encompasses three crucial sectors of national governance: local government, chieftaincy, and religious affairs.\n\nUnder the President's direction and in consultation with the Executive Secretary to the President, the Ministry aims to bolster Ghana's decentralization system. Ayariga emphasized that the Ministry will be instrumental in executing projects to enhance local governance, traditional leadership, and interactions with religious establishments. He also connected the ministry's responsibilities to the government's plans for revitalizing Jamestown in Accra, particularly the planned reconstruction of a long-standing refuse heap. The minister outlined a strategy to transform the community into high-rise residential structures utilizing containers, thereby optimizing land utilization. This approach would reorganize the existing settlement, avoiding forced evictions and instead creating a more organized living environment.\n\nAyariga assured that the redevelopment project would be accompanied by essential infrastructure such as roads, public facilities, and eateries. He further urged the Muslim community to emulate the peaceful leadership exemplified by the National Chief Imam. Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, the spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, expressed gratitude to Ayariga for his respectful and reverential behavior towards the Imam's office. Sheikh Shaibu highlighted the significance of Ayariga's decision to visit the Chief Imam's palace first upon taking office, viewing it as a gesture of respect towards both the office and the religious institution.",
  "summary": "Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, says the Ministry is fully prepared to support all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and Regional Ministers to deliver on the government's development agenda.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}