By Rebecca Ampah
The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has presented 128 vehicles, comprising Haval H9 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks, all from ZondaTech , to selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to strengthen local governance and improve service delivery.
The presentation took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, Accra.
The SUVs are intended for mayors and chief executives, while the pickup trucks will support operational activities under the supervision of coordinating directors.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Minister, Mahama Ayariga, said the SUVs would help MMDCEs perform their duties effectively, promptly and with greater ease.
He explained that the pickups would support assemblies in supervising development projects, monitoring activities within their jurisdictions and ensuring that targets set by the assemblies were achieved.
According to the minister, the intervention forms part of the government’s commitment to strengthening decentralisation by providing local authorities with the logistics needed to deliver services and implement development projects.
He said many MMDCEs had struggled to perform their duties over the past year and a half because they lacked official vehicles, forcing some to rely on their private cars.
Ayariga stressed that the vehicles are public assets intended for official duties and must not be used for personal business.
“These vehicles are meant for you to work. They are not meant for riding to girlfriends’ homes,” he said.
He clarified that official assignments could include attending festivals, funerals and other community functions when the MMDCEs were invited in their official capacities. However, he cautioned against using the vehicles for private family engagements, personal farming or visits to privately owned businesses.
The minister also urged the beneficiaries to maintain the vehicles properly, warning that the government would not provide replacements for those damaged through negligence.
He cautioned against reckless driving and advised the MMDCEs not to leave the vehicles unused in the hope of eventually acquiring them through an auction.
Mahama Ayariga disclosed that the remaining vehicles were at the port awaiting clearance. He said the supplier had assured the government that they would be delivered within two weeks.
However, he explained that registration, insurance and roadworthiness procedures could extend the period before the vehicles were handed over to the remaining beneficiaries.
The minister said the rollout had prioritised regions facing greater transportation difficulties, particularly areas with less developed road networks and public transport systems.
He identified Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions, as well as some districts in the Central Region, among the areas still awaiting vehicles, while noting that some districts in those regions had already been served.
Mr Ayariga also assured assembly members that the government is working towards providing them with motorcycles to support their duties.
He said he had discussed the matter with President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, and that efforts were underway to make the motorcycles available.
The minister said the vehicle distribution is another demonstration of the government’s commitment to decentralisation and to equipping local authorities to respond more effectively to the needs of their communities.
