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LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN GHANA

Year 2019, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 168 - 188, 16.08.2019

Abstract

For a few decades now, national leaders worldwide have become more
interested and developed a positive appreciation of the role of the local
government in the socio-economic development of a country. This paper discusses
decentralisation and the local government system of Ghana.
Through
empirical findings and literature review, this paper analyses the local
government structure of Ghana, its effectiveness and citizen participation. It
examines the gap that exist between decentralisation and local government as
proposed in the laws of the land and decentralisation as being practiced. The
paper draws attention to the structural deficiencies and obtacles confronting
the full realisation of a more participatory local government in the country. It
observes central government’s relunctance to truely relinquish control over its
powers and the various recentralisation “traps” it has built in the
decentralisation process. The paper concurs that participation without
accountability is only a partial ingredient to a highly responsive local governmeny.

References

  • Ahwoi, K. (2010). Local Government and Decentralization in Ghana. Accra: Unimax Macmillan.
  • Ahwoi, K. (2010). Rethinking Decentralisation and Local Government – Proposals for Amendment. Institute of Economic Affair. Accra, Ghana.
  • Antwi-Boasiako, K.B. (2010). “Public Administration: Locl Government and Decentralisation in Ghana.” Journal of African Studies Development, 2(7): pp. 166-175.
  • Awortwi, N (2010) The past, present and future of decentralization in Africa: A comparative case study of local government development trajectories of Ghana and Uganda. International Journal of Public Administration, 33(12): pp.620–634.
  • Awortwi, N. (2016). “An Unbreakable Path? Acomparative study of Decentralisaation and Local Government in Ghana and Uganda”. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 77(2): pp 347-377.
  • Ayee, J. (2004). Ghana: A top-down initiative. In Olowu and Wunsch, 125-154.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2008)a. “The Balance Sheet of Decentralisation in Ghana”, in Fumihiko Saito (ed) Foundations for Local Governnce: Decentralisation in Comparative Perspective. Leipig: Physica-Verlag Springer: Chapter 11: 233-258.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2008)b. “Decentralisation and Governance in Ghana”, Regional Development Dialogue, 29 (2) Autumn: pp.34-54.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2012). “The Political Economy of the Creation of Districts in Ghana”. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 48(5): pp 623-645.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2007). Public Administration in Africa. Unpublished paper.
  • Bossuyt, J., & J. Gould. (2000). Decentralisation and poverty reduction: Elaborating the linkages. Policy Management Brief no.12. Maastricht: European Centre for Development Policy Management.
  • Boafo-Arthur, K. (2001). “Chieftaincy and Politics in Ghana since 1982”. West Africa Review, 3(1):
  • Crawford, G. (2009) ‘Making democracy a reality’? The politics of decentralisation and the limits to local democracy in Ghana, Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 27:1, pp. 57-83. DOI: 10.1080/02589000802576699.
  • Crawford, G. (2003). Democratic Decentralisation in Ghana: Issues and Prospects. Draft Paper for Norweigian Association for Development Research (NFU) Annual Conference, Oslo.
  • Daves, N. & Grant, U. (2003). Local government Decision Making-Citizen Participation and Local Accountability : Some evidence from Kenya and Uganda. Public Administration and Development 23(4): pp 307-316.
  • Eriksen, S.S., Naustdalslid, J. & Schou, A. (1999), Decentralisation from Above. A Study of Local Government in Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, NIBR paper, no. 4-99, (Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo).
  • Falleti TG (2005) A sequential theory of decentralisation: Latin American cases in comparative perspective. American Political Science Review 99(3): pp. 327–346.
  • Jackson, W.E. (1945). Local Government in England and Wales. Penguin Books. New York, U.S.A.
  • Knierzinger, J. (2009). The Chiefs of Development: Local Development and Local Government in Ghana. Doctoral dissertation, Universität Wien.
  • Langnel, Z. (2019). Public Administration in Anglophone West Africa. Unpublished paper.
  • Mahama, C. (2009). “Local Government and Traditional Authority in Ghana: Towards a more Productive Relationship”. Commonwealth Journal of Lcoal Governance, issue (4) pp. 1-25.
  • Nkrumah, S. (2000). “Decentralisation for good governance and development: The Ghanaian experience”. Regional Development Dialogue 21(1): pp.53-67.
  • Olowu, D., & J. Wunsch. (2004). Local governance in Africa: The challenges of democratic decentralisation. Boulder, CO and London: Lynne Rienner.
  • Republic of Ghana, (1992). Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992. Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
  • Republic of Ghana, (1993). Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462). Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
  • Shah, A. (2006). (ed) Local governance in Developing Countries. The World Bank. Washington, D.C.
  • Yeebo, Z. (1985) Ghana: Defence committees and the class struggle. Review of African Political Economy 32: 64–72.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN GHANA

Year 2019, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 168 - 188, 16.08.2019

Abstract

For a few decades now, national leaders worldwide have become more interested and developed a positive appreciation of the role of the local government in the socio-economic development of a country. This paper discusses decentralisation and the local government system of Ghana. Through empirical findings and literature review, this paper analyses the local government structure of Ghana, its effectiveness and citizen participation. It examines the gap that exist between decentralisation and local government as proposed in the laws of the land and decentralisation as being practiced. The paper draws attention to the structural deficiencies and obtacles confronting the full realisation of a more participatory local government in the country. It observes central government’s relunctance to truely relinquish control over its powers and the various recentralisation “traps” it has built in the decentralisation process. The paper concurs that participation without accountability is only a partial ingredient to a highly responsive local governmeny.

References

  • Ahwoi, K. (2010). Local Government and Decentralization in Ghana. Accra: Unimax Macmillan.
  • Ahwoi, K. (2010). Rethinking Decentralisation and Local Government – Proposals for Amendment. Institute of Economic Affair. Accra, Ghana.
  • Antwi-Boasiako, K.B. (2010). “Public Administration: Locl Government and Decentralisation in Ghana.” Journal of African Studies Development, 2(7): pp. 166-175.
  • Awortwi, N (2010) The past, present and future of decentralization in Africa: A comparative case study of local government development trajectories of Ghana and Uganda. International Journal of Public Administration, 33(12): pp.620–634.
  • Awortwi, N. (2016). “An Unbreakable Path? Acomparative study of Decentralisaation and Local Government in Ghana and Uganda”. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 77(2): pp 347-377.
  • Ayee, J. (2004). Ghana: A top-down initiative. In Olowu and Wunsch, 125-154.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2008)a. “The Balance Sheet of Decentralisation in Ghana”, in Fumihiko Saito (ed) Foundations for Local Governnce: Decentralisation in Comparative Perspective. Leipig: Physica-Verlag Springer: Chapter 11: 233-258.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2008)b. “Decentralisation and Governance in Ghana”, Regional Development Dialogue, 29 (2) Autumn: pp.34-54.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2012). “The Political Economy of the Creation of Districts in Ghana”. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 48(5): pp 623-645.
  • Ayee, J.R.A. (2007). Public Administration in Africa. Unpublished paper.
  • Bossuyt, J., & J. Gould. (2000). Decentralisation and poverty reduction: Elaborating the linkages. Policy Management Brief no.12. Maastricht: European Centre for Development Policy Management.
  • Boafo-Arthur, K. (2001). “Chieftaincy and Politics in Ghana since 1982”. West Africa Review, 3(1):
  • Crawford, G. (2009) ‘Making democracy a reality’? The politics of decentralisation and the limits to local democracy in Ghana, Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 27:1, pp. 57-83. DOI: 10.1080/02589000802576699.
  • Crawford, G. (2003). Democratic Decentralisation in Ghana: Issues and Prospects. Draft Paper for Norweigian Association for Development Research (NFU) Annual Conference, Oslo.
  • Daves, N. & Grant, U. (2003). Local government Decision Making-Citizen Participation and Local Accountability : Some evidence from Kenya and Uganda. Public Administration and Development 23(4): pp 307-316.
  • Eriksen, S.S., Naustdalslid, J. & Schou, A. (1999), Decentralisation from Above. A Study of Local Government in Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, NIBR paper, no. 4-99, (Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo).
  • Falleti TG (2005) A sequential theory of decentralisation: Latin American cases in comparative perspective. American Political Science Review 99(3): pp. 327–346.
  • Jackson, W.E. (1945). Local Government in England and Wales. Penguin Books. New York, U.S.A.
  • Knierzinger, J. (2009). The Chiefs of Development: Local Development and Local Government in Ghana. Doctoral dissertation, Universität Wien.
  • Langnel, Z. (2019). Public Administration in Anglophone West Africa. Unpublished paper.
  • Mahama, C. (2009). “Local Government and Traditional Authority in Ghana: Towards a more Productive Relationship”. Commonwealth Journal of Lcoal Governance, issue (4) pp. 1-25.
  • Nkrumah, S. (2000). “Decentralisation for good governance and development: The Ghanaian experience”. Regional Development Dialogue 21(1): pp.53-67.
  • Olowu, D., & J. Wunsch. (2004). Local governance in Africa: The challenges of democratic decentralisation. Boulder, CO and London: Lynne Rienner.
  • Republic of Ghana, (1992). Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992. Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
  • Republic of Ghana, (1993). Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462). Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
  • Shah, A. (2006). (ed) Local governance in Developing Countries. The World Bank. Washington, D.C.
  • Yeebo, Z. (1985) Ghana: Defence committees and the class struggle. Review of African Political Economy 32: 64–72.
There are 27 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Business Administration
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Sarah Buerkwor Kpentey

Publication Date August 16, 2019
Published in Issue Year 2019 Volume: 2 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Kpentey, S. B. (2019). LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN GHANA. Academic Review of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), 168-188.

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