The Northern Region, under the leadership of the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John has emerged as one of the strongest-performing regions in Ghana following the release of the 2025 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT) for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The latest assessment revealed remarkable improvements in financial management compliance across most Assemblies in the region, reflecting growing commitment to transparency, accountability, prudent financial management, and adherence to public financial regulations.
The Public Financial Management Compliance League Table, which evaluates MMDAs based on their compliance with key public financial management indicators, serves as an important tool for measuring the effectiveness of financial governance at the local level. The 2025 results demonstrate that many Assemblies in the Northern Region have made substantial progress compared to their performance in 2024.
According to the Regional League Table, the Tolon District Assembly emerged as the best-performing Assembly in the Northern Region with a score of 86.50 percent, securing the 1st position regionally. The Assembly also achieved an impressive 13th position nationally in 2025, a remarkable leap from its 182nd national ranking in 2024. This achievement underscores the Assembly’s commitment to strengthening financial discipline and improving governance systems.
The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly followed closely in second place within the region with a score of 83.10 percent. Nationally, the Assembly improved significantly from the 162nd position in 2024 to the 18th position in 2025. Similarly, the Tatale-Sanguli District Assembly secured the third position in the regional rankings with a score of 81.90 percent and moved dramatically from the 186th position nationally in 2024 to the 23rd position in 2025.
The Yendi Municipal Assembly also recorded an outstanding performance, climbing from the 156th national position in 2024 to the 37th position in 2025, while maintaining the fourth position in the regional ranking with a score of 78.90 percent. Savelugu Municipal Assembly improved from the 242nd position nationally in 2024 to the 51st position in 2025, securing fifth place in the region.
Zabzugu District Assembly and Gushegu Municipal Assembly equally demonstrated significant improvements. Zabzugu rose from the 234th national position in 2024 to the 57th position in 2025, while Gushegu advanced from the 144th position to the 59th position nationally. Both Assemblies were ranked sixth and seventh respectively on the regional league table.
Kumbungu District Assembly also made a remarkable jump from the 181st national position in 2024 to the 60th position in 2025, earning the eighth position in the regional ranking. Mion District Assembly improved from the 220th position nationally to the 79th position, while Karaga District Assembly moved from the 218th position to the 85th position nationally, reflecting steady progress in financial management compliance.
The Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly maintained its national ranking of 113th in both 2024 and 2025. Although its national position remained unchanged, the Assembly secured the 11th position on the regional league table with a score of 60.40 percent, indicating stable performance in financial management compliance.
The Nanton District Assembly experienced a decline in its national ranking, moving from the 76th position in 2024 to the 130th position in 2025, despite placing 12th on the regional league table. Saboba District Assembly also recorded a decline nationally, dropping from the 166th position in 2024 to the 215th position in 2025 and ranking 16th within the region.
Meanwhile, Kpandai District Assembly improved significantly from the 190th position nationally in 2024 to the 138th position in 2025. Nanumba North Municipal Assembly also advanced from the 192nd position to the 140th position nationally. Nanumba South District Assembly, which ranked 15th in the regional league table with a score of 51.80 percent, achieved a national ranking of 142nd in 2025, showing improvement over its previous regional standing.
The overall performance of the Northern Region indicates a positive trend in public financial management compliance, with the majority of Assemblies recording substantial gains in their national rankings. Out of the sixteen Assemblies assessed, thirteen registered significant improvements, one maintained its position, while only two experienced declines.
The impressive results have been attributed to strengthened financial oversight mechanisms, improved budget execution, adherence to audit recommendations, enhanced internal control systems, and increased commitment by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Coordinating Directors, Finance Officers and other key stakeholders to uphold the principles of accountability and prudent financial management.
The 2025 PFMCLT results serve as a strong indication that local governance institutions in the Northern Region are making meaningful strides toward improving public financial management standards. Stakeholders have expressed optimism that the Assemblies will sustain the momentum, address existing gaps, and continue implementing sound financial practices to improve service delivery and accelerate development across the region.
In the Regional League Table, the Tolon District Assembly emerged as the highest-performing Assembly in the Northern Region with a compliance score of 86.50 percent, securing the 1st position. The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly followed closely in 2nd place with a score of 83.10 percent, while the Tatale-Sanguli District Assembly placed 3rd with 81.90 percent, highlighting the Assemblies’ strong commitment to prudent financial management and compliance with public financial management regulations.
The Yendi Municipal Assembly secured the 4th position with a score of 78.90 percent, followed by the Savelugu Municipal Assembly, which placed 5th with 76.35 percent. The Zabzugu District Assembly ranked 6th with 75.60 percent, while the Gushegu Municipal Assembly came 7th with 75.40 percent, reflecting commendable improvements in financial governance and accountability.
The Kumbungu District Assembly occupied the 8th position with a score of 75.30 percent, followed by the Mion District Assembly in 9th place with 71.10 percent. The Karaga District Assembly completed the top ten, ranking 10th with a compliance score of 69.60 percent.
The Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly placed 11th in the regional rankings with a score of 60.40 percent, while the Nanton District Assembly ranked 12th with 54.50 percent. The Kpandai District Assembly secured the 13th position with 52.10 percent, demonstrating appreciable progress in strengthening public financial management systems.
Rounding off the regional rankings, the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly placed 14th with a score of 51.95 percent, closely followed by the Nanumba South District Assembly in 15th place with 51.80 percent. The Saboba District Assembly ranked 16th with a score of 37.30 percent. Despite occupying the last position in the regional standings, the overall assessment showed that the majority of Assemblies in the Northern Region recorded remarkable improvements in their national rankings compared to the previous year, demonstrating a positive trajectory in public financial management compliance across the region.