The decentralisation policy and development at local and national levels in Ghana - a Case Study of Five Districts in the Southern Volta Region
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Date
1997-07-08
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Abstract
The demise of centralised development approaches in many developing countries has focused attention on decentralised development approaches as an alternative.
Many developing countries including Ghana are implementing decentralisation policies. Ghana’s decentralisation policy is both a devolution and deconcentration model and is based on the Agropolitan Concept of Growth. By its very tenets this concept favours rural or local level development. The aggregation of local level development is a process of national development.
It has been alleged in some publications e.g. Ghana Local Government Information Digest that the policy has been performing “magic” at the local levels since its implementation in 1988.
This study was conducted as an investigation into this claim. The study area which consists five districts; Ketu, Keta, Akatsi, Sogakope and Adidome districts, situated at the south-eastern part of the Ghana was the crucible for this investigation. The rate of provision of six facilities; political administrative centres, potable water, health, schools, electricity and, post and telecommunications were examined under two distinct periods.
Data analysed for these periods confirmed the alleged “magic” being formed in the rural areas. Results indicated that the overall per capita rate of development of settlements in the study area under the decentralised administration period is more than four times the rate under the centralised administration period. The study however revealed that despite this accelerated rates of development under the decentralised development administration, the study area is still largely undeveloped. This indicates the depth of the neglect the sub-region suffered under the centralised development administration period. Migration of both skilled and unskilled individuals from the sub-region in search of better opportunities elsewhere was identified as a direct result of the neglect. The major problem which militates against the full benefits of the decentralisation policy is the lack of office and residential accommodation for personnel posted to the sub-region. One other problem is the inability of the departments in the districts to fully decentralise. This leaves development projects in the districts of the sub-region uncoordinated.
The recommended remedies suggested were;
i. Government should see to fiscal decentralisation to the district level. This will ensure the complete decentralisation of the departments in the districts.
ii District Assemblies in the sub-region, government or interested investors should be encouraged to provide accommodation units for personnel posted to the districts in the sub-region.
Local community participation in development should be encouraged through training programmes directed at helping the communities realise their development potentials.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in National Development Policy and Planning, 1997