MADINA, ACCRA — After about a year and a half without official vehicles, many of Ghana's district chief executives finally have wheels.

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has handed over 128 vehicles, made up of Haval H9 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks supplied by ZondaTech, to selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

Minister Mahama Ayariga presented the vehicles on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, Accra. It is the first batch, with more assemblies expected to benefit later.

Who gets what

The fleet is split between two groups:

  • Haval H9 SUVs for the chief executives themselves, including mayors and municipal and district chief executives
  • Pickup trucks for operational work, under the supervision of each assembly's coordinating director

Why the vehicles were needed

Ayariga said many MMDCEs had worked for about 18 months without official vehicles. Some had been forced to use their private cars for official work, while others had been using pickups meant for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).

He directed all MMDCEs using DRIP pickups to return them at the ceremony, so those vehicles can go back to supporting road work in the districts.

The minister said the new vehicles would help MMDCEs:

He added that the resources now available to district assemblies were unprecedented in Ghana's history of local government, which placed greater responsibility on MMDCEs to deliver results.

A warning against misuse

Ayariga was blunt about how the vehicles should be used:

  • Official duties only. No private errands. He clarified that official duties can include attending festivals, funerals and community events when MMDCEs are invited in their official capacity.
  • No reckless driving. He urged them to drive carefully and maintain the vehicles properly.
  • No "parking to buy." He warned MMDCEs against leaving the vehicles unused in the hope of later buying them cheaply at auction, a practice long criticised in Ghana's public service.

Questions Ghanaians will ask

Vehicle purchases for public officials often draw close public attention in Ghana, and this one is likely to be no different. The ministry has not disclosed:

  • how much the 128 vehicles cost
  • how many are SUVs and how many are pickups
  • which assemblies received them, and how they were selected
  • when the remaining MMDCEs will receive theirs

Ghana has 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, so most chief executives are still waiting.

Supporters say MMDCEs cannot supervise projects, respond to emergencies or fight galamsey without reliable transport. Critics are likely to ask whether premium SUVs are the best use of public money at a time when the government is stressing accountability and value for money.

What to watch

The real test will be on the ground: whether residents see their district chiefs more often in their communities, and whether the vehicles are well maintained and used only for official work, as the minister demanded.