Source: UNICEF Ghana |

Launch of the 2016 Ghana District League Table

Introduced in 2014, the District League Table is a social accountability tool that ranks Ghana’s 216 Districts by their level of development and service delivery

In the 2016 District League Table, a new District has reached first place, that of La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal in the Greater Accra Region, with a score of 77.8%

ACCRA, Ghana, December 15, 2016/APO/ --

In collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, UNICEF Ghana and the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana) are launching Ghana’s third District League Table on Thursday, December 15th 2016 at 8.30am.

Introduced in 2014, the District League Table is a social accountability tool that ranks Ghana’s 216 Districts by their level of development and service delivery. The District League Table aims to improve transparency and accountability in national development by making public District levels of wellbeing. With the District League Table, development across the country can be tracked thus enabling citizens and decision-makers to see where improvements are being made and where targeted support is needed.

Based on consultations with the Ministries and Agencies concerned, the District League Table uses indicators from 6 key sectors - health, education, sanitation, water, governance and security - to compile a single score for each District. All 216 Districts are then ranked from the District in 1st place down to that in 216th place.

In the 2016 District League Table, a new District has reached first place, that of La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal in the Greater Accra Region, with a score of 77.8%. The District placed 2nd last year, moving up to displace Tema Metropolitan District at the top. At the bottom of the District League Table this year is North Tongu in the Volta Region in 216th place with a score of just 40.9%. The most improved District is Wa East in Upper West Region which improved its score from 38% last year to 65% this year.

Sarah Hague, Chief of Policy at UNICEF Ghana said “This year’s District League Table shows that the development gap between Districts continues to be a challenge. Until development reaches the most deprived parts of the country, and resources are allocated equitably according to need, we can never achieve progress for all”. Franklin Oduro, CDD-Ghana’s Director of Research, said “Accessibility to data still remains a major challenge. Basic indicators on District wellbeing are not easily available which is a major barrier to national planning and development. The District League Table calls for free and transparent publication of such information”. The District League Table is released annually so that progress can be tracked, and we hope that this years’ results will generate even more debate than the 2014 and 2015 reports.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNICEF Ghana.