The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has declared that the Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC) is targeting to claim the number one position in the Local Government Service’s Performance ranking pledging to topple the long-standing leader, the Volta Regional Coordinating Council.
The Minister said this at the signing ceremony of the 2026 Performance Contract for Municipal and District Assemblies, held at the ERCC Conference Hall in Koforidua.
Addressing Municipal and District Chief Executives, Coordinating Directors, and Heads of Departments, the Regional Minister described the performance contract as a critical tool under the Local Government Service’s Performance Management System, aimed at driving productivity, accountability, and service delivery across all MMDAs.
She noted that although the Eastern Region performed creditably in the 2023 Performance Evaluation Report, with Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly emerging first and Atiwa East District Assembly placing second nationally, the ERCC itself placed 5th among RCCs, a position she believes must improve.
“This year, I have already told my management and staff that we are aiming for the first position,” she stated confidently. “I am aware that our neighbour, Volta RCC, has occupied the first position for some time now, but I want to send a clear message to them that we are going to beat them this time round.”
The Regional Minister stressed that the Eastern Region is “poised for excellence,” urging all 33 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to give maximum attention to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) outlined in the 2026 Performance Contract.
She charged first-time Chief Executives to approach the contract with seriousness, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement, while reminding Coordinating Directors of their leadership responsibility in ensuring effective implementation.
Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey further emphasized teamwork, staff motivation, and adequate resourcing as essential elements for success, expressing strong confidence that the region can dominate the national rankings if all hands are on deck.
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She concluded by encouraging all participants to “hit the ground running” immediately after the ceremony, with the shared goal of restoring pride and placing the Eastern Region at the pinnacle of national performance assessments.

The signing of the 2026 Performance Contract follows the earlier signing by Regional Coordinating Councils in Kumasi on January 27, 2026, officially paving the way for MMDAs across the country to begin implementation.
Local Government Service’s Performance Ranking of the 16 Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and the 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) is based on their Annual Performance Evaluation Reports from the Performance Contracts signed between the Regional Ministere and Regional Coordinating Directors at the regional level as well as the MMDCEs and MMDCDs at the local level.
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The thematic areas for the RCCs include general administration, human resource management, financial management, and services while that of the MMDAs include general administration, human resource management, financial management, infrastructure, service delivery, economic development, environmental and sanitation.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh

