MMDAs in the Upper East Region performed abysmally in the 2022 Performance Evaluation Report of Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) & Metropolitan, Municipal And District Assemblies (MMDAS). Apexnewsgh.com reports In the case of Upper East Region, only Kassena Nankana West represented the region well with an excellent score of 8.13 percent representing 32nd position out of the 16 RCCs & 261 MMDAs who conducted their Annual Evaluation on their performance and submitted reports to the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) in January 2022 for decision making. Below are the positions of various MMDAs in the region: These are MMDAs in the Upper East Region with ‘VERY GOOD’ remark despite their performance. Bolgatanga 65th, Kassena Nankana East 67th, Bawku West  92nd, Builsa North 105th, Bongo 143rd, Bolgatanga East 157th These are MMDAs in the Upper East Region with ‘ GOOD’ remark despite their performance Pusiga 163rd, Talensi 173rd, Tempane 176th, Binduri 207th, Nabdam 215th, Builsa South 220th, Garu 227th These are MMDAs in the Upper East Region with ‘ SATISFACTORY’ remark despite their performance is 0 These are MMDA in the Upper East Region with ‘ UNSATISFATORY’ remark in the Upper East Region is Bawku The Local Government Service per section 51 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), is established to secure effective administration and management of decentralized Local Government system in the country. As stated in its mission, the Local Government Service (LGS) “exists to support Local Government to deliver value for money services through the mobilization, harmonization and utilization of qualified, human capacity and material resources to promote local and national development”. In line with this mission statement, the LGS has developed a comprehensive Performance Management System (PMS) that is based on agreed Service Delivery Standards (SDS). The Service Delivery Standards are operationalized through the PMS at all levels. The PMS is a systematic process for improving performance by developing the individual performance of staff and teams to enhance productivity, develop competencies, increase job satisfaction and achieve the full potential of all staff in the Service in line with Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936). It is operationalized through the Performance Management Instruments (Contract & Appraisal) in which the Service enters into agreement and commitment with its employees to set clear, quantifiable objectives and indicators for attainment within a given timeframe. For the year 2022, Performance Contracts (PCs) based on planned achievement of indicators in Key Performance Areas were signed between Honourable Regional Ministers (RMs) and their Regional Coordinating Directors (RCDs) at the Regional level and Honourable Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) at the Distric level. Even though the Performance Contracts were signed between the RMs and the RCDs as well as the MMDCEs and MMDCDs, it is worth noting that their overall performance mirrors that of their respective Regional Coordinating Councils (RCDs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). This is as a result of the fact that the RCDs & MMDCDs signed the contract on behalf of the entire staff of the RCCs & MMDAs. Hence, the emphasis of the assessment is placed on the overall achievement of the RCC & MMDA under the leadership of the respective RCD & MMDCD. The 16 RCCs & 261 MMDAs conducted their Annual Evaluation on their performance and submitted reports to the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) in January 2022 for decision making. To be able to make objective and informed decisions, the OHLGS sought the services of Directors and some support staff of the OHLGS to conduct an independent verification exercise on the RCCs and MMDAs on the actual performance of the RCCs & MMDAs in April to May, 2023. The assessment of the Performance Contracts across the 16 RCCs and 261 MMDAs was funded with support from the United States through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through CARE International in Ghana. The content of this assessment review report is the sole responsibility of the Government of Ghana and do not reflect the views of USAID, CARE International in Ghana and their respective Governments. The Office of the Head of the Local Government Service is grateful to the Directors and support staff of the OHLGS for their time and expertise in supporting the OHLGS to carry out the Review, Monitoring and Verification of implementation of the 2022 Performance Contracts. The OHLGS is particularly thankful to Honourable Regional Ministers and Honourable Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for their commitment and logistical support to their Coordinating Directors and also providing invaluable insights into the performance. The OHLGS is further appreciative of the cooperation, responses and useful suggestions offered by RCDs & MMDCDs, and their staff during the whole process of the implementation of the 2022 Performance Contract and is looking forward to more collaboration and mutual support among all officers of the Service in the subsequent years.  ING. DR. NANA ATO ARTHUR HEAD OF SERVICE Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com