Mahama Ayariga Officially Takes Over As Minister For Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has formally welcomed Hon. Mahama Ayariga as the new Minister, following a handing-over ceremony held at the Ministry in Accra.

The ceremony on September 1, 2026, marked the transition from Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, who has been reassigned as Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources.

In his remarks, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim urged the incoming Minister to maintain continuity in the implementation of the Ministry’s programmes and projects, particularly initiatives under the Government’s 24-Hour Economy policy, including the construction of 24-hour markets.

He also encouraged sustained attention to ongoing contracts, chieftaincy matters and other key programmes to ensure that public investments deliver value to citizens.

Assuming responsibility for the Ministry, Hon. Mahama Ayariga reaffirmed his commitment to a results-oriented approach, with sanitation, effective local governance and improved service delivery among his immediate priorities.

As part of his early engagements, the Minister inspected key waste management facilities in the Greater Accra Region, including the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), James Town Waste Transfer Station and Kpone Landfill, to assess existing challenges and identify areas requiring urgent attention.

Hon. Ayariga emphasised that improving sanitation and transforming Ghana’s cities will require collective action.

He called for stronger collaboration among Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities, religious bodies, civil society organisations, the media and residents, alongside greater accountability at the local government level.

The Minister further expressed his commitment to working with MMDCEs to strengthen service delivery, improve local revenue mobilisation and make local governance more responsive to the needs of communities.

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