Democratic Decentralization, Local Governance and Sustainable Development: Ghana's Experiences for Policy and Practice in Developing Countries

308 Pages·2022·5.38 MB·English

by  Prince Osei-Wusu Adjei, Samuel Adu-Gyamfi

Advances in African Economic,
Social and Political Development
Prince Osei-Wusu Adjei
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi   Editors
Democratic
Decentralization,
Local Governance
and Sustainable
Development
Ghana's Experiences for Policy and
Practice in Developing Countries
Advances in African Economic, Social and
Political Development
SeriesEditors
DierySeck,CREPOL-CenterforResearchonPoliticalEconomy,Dakar,Senegal
JulietU.Elu,MorehouseCollege,Atlanta,GA,USA
YawNyarko,NewYorkUniversity,NewYork,NY,USA
Africa is emerging as a rapidly growing region, still facing major challenges, but
withapotentialforsignificantprogress–atransformationthatnecessitatesvigorous
effortsinresearchandpolicythinking.Thisbookseriesfocusesonthreeintricately
related key aspects of modern-day Africa: economic, social and political develop-
ment. Making use of recent theoretical and empirical advances, the series aims to
provide fresh answers to Africa’s development challenges. All the socio-political
dimensionsoftoday’sAfricaareincorporatedastheyunfoldandnewpolicyoptions
arepresented.Theseriesaimstoprovideabroadandinteractiveforumofscienceat
work for policymaking and to bring together African and international researchers
and experts. The series welcomes monographs and contributed volumes for an
academic and professional audience, as well as tightly edited conference proceed-
ings. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, economic policy and trade,
regionalintegration,labormarketpolicies,demographicdevelopment,socialissues,
politicaleconomyandpoliticalsystems,andenvironmentalandenergyissues.
Alltitlesintheseriesarepeer-reviewed.ThebookseriesisindexedinSCOPUS.
* * *
(cid:129) fi
Prince Osei-Wusu Adjei Samuel Adu-Gyam
Editors
Democratic Decentralization,
Local Governance
and Sustainable Development
Ghana's Experiences for Policy and Practice in
Developing Countries
Editors
PrinceOsei-WusuAdjei SamuelAdu-Gyamfi
DepartmentofGeographyandRural DepartmentofHistoryandPoliticalStudies
Development KwameNkrumahUniversityofScienceand
KwameNkrumahUniversityofScience Technology
andTechnology Kumasi,Ghana
Kumasi,Ghana
ISSN2198-7262 ISSN2198-7270 (electronic)
AdvancesinAfricanEconomic,SocialandPoliticalDevelopment
ISBN978-3-031-12377-1 ISBN978-3-031-12378-8 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12378-8
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Foreword
The discourse on democracy and sustainable development is a current research
direction theoretically due to a strong association that has been predicted between
democracyanddevelopment.Theactualisationofthedemocraticdoctrineindevel-
opmentismediatedbytheconceptofdecentralisation.Indeed,decentralisationisa
mechanismthroughwhichdemocracyeffectivelyoperates.Itisbelievedthatceding
decentralised administrative authority to the local entity would enhance the opera-
tion of democratic governance which is the current paradigm in ensuring effective
and efficient governance. The implementation of sustainable development which
finds expression in the 17 UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), it is hoped,
would change the scenario of development especially in developing countries.
Ghana started experimenting with a new local governance system in 1988 prior to
thereintroductionofconstitutionaldemocraticsystemafterthecollapseofthefirst,
second and third republics through military interventions. The District Assembly
conceptofdemocraticgovernancewasfollowedthroughtotheFourthRepublicwith
its insertion into the 1992 Constitution with the aim of ensuring development on a
sustainablebasis.TheexperienceofGhanaindemocraticdecentralisationhasreaped
several benefits in development. These include Ghana being listed among low
middle-income economies, improvement in income per capita and other micro-
andmacroeconomicindicators.Besides,thecurrentdemocraticsystemhassurvived
foroverthreedecades,makingGhanaabeaconofdemocracyinAfrica.
The international conference on democratic decentralisation, local governance
andsustainabledevelopment:Ghana’sexperiencesforoverthreedecadeswhichwas
convened by Professor Prince Osei-Wusu Adjei in April, 2019, with support from
the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala Sweden, and the College of Humanities and
SocialSciences,KwameNkrumahUniversityofScienceandTechnology,Kumasi,
Ghana,entertainedandcritiquedpapersonfour thematic areas, namelyconceptual
and historical perspectives of decentralisation and local governance; institutional
choice,representation,povertyreductionandlocaldevelopment;localgovernance,
resource capacity and service delivery; and non-state actors, local governance and
sustainable development. For each of these themes a number of papers were
v
vi Foreword
presented.Thethrustofthepapersistodrawalinkbetween democraticdecentral-
isation,localgovernanceandsustainabledevelopment.
The first theme conceptualises democratic decentralisation and discusses how
Ghana’s decentralisation and local governance reforms progressed from decentral-
isation towards devolution (i.e. democratic decentralisation). Local government
structuresfromprecolonial,colonialandpost-independenceeraswithvariousphases
of local government reforms and post-structural adjustment decentralisation and
localgovernmentreformsarecriticallyanalysed.Insighthasbeengivenonhistorical
perspectivesoflocalgovernanceandcommunitydevelopmentinGhana.Following
thisistheissueofdecodingtheparadoxofdecentralisationwithcentralisedcharac-
teristics in democratic Ghana. In this, the reality and truism of decentralisation is
discussed.Itisdiscussedwhetherthetruespiritandpurposeofdecentralisation,in
the framework of democratic decentralisation, is observed or it is a myth, political
hypocrisy.LegitimisinglocalgovernanceanddevelopmentreformsinGhanaisthe
lastsub-themeanalysedanddiscussed.Thischapterintendstocriticallyexaminethe
effectsoflocalgovernmentreformsonsustainabledevelopmentinGhana.Thishas
lessonsforthedemocraticexperienceforcountriesinAfrica.
PartIIisonthetheme“Institutionalchoice,representation,povertyreductionand
local development”. The first chapter, “Towards the election of MMDCEs: A case
study for local government reforms in Ghana”, discusses whether the election of
MMDCEs will improve local governance in Ghana. There is a discussion on this
issue among politicians, academics, media and civil society organisations, among
others,onthemeritsanddemeritsofelectingMMCDEs.Theotherissuediscussedis
theroleofwomeninlocalgovernanceinGhana.Thischapterisdissectedunderthe
theme“Womenandsocialdevelopment:Opportunitiesforgendermainstreamingin
local governance in Ghana”. It is the conviction that women are discriminated
againstintheirparticipationinthegovernanceprocessesinthedemocraticdispen-
sation.Thechapterexplorestheopportunitiesthatthesocialdevelopmentaspectof
decentralisation and local governance reforms provides for gender mainstreaming.
Thenbasicgovernancestructuresareanalysed.Themostbasicstructureofthelocal
governmentadministration isthe Unit Committeewhichexpresses theprinciple of
massparticipationingovernance.Thenextchapterdiscussessub-districtstructures
and local governance in Ghana: role of Unit Committees in promoting popular
participation. The last chapter under Part II analyses “Sub-National structures,
poverty reduction and rural development under Ghana’s local governance system”
andexaminestheimpact ofsub-national structuresonrural developmentinGhana
andalsoexploresempiricalchallengesmitigatingagainsteffortsatpovertyreduction
andruraldevelopmentgainsindecentralisation.
Part III is on the theme “Local governance, resource capacity and service
delivery”anddiscussesissuesofrevenuemobilisationasaninstitutionalchallenge
indecentralisation;financialandhumanresourcecapacitiesofsub-nationalgovern-
mental structures in Ghana; decentralisation and resource capacity for sustainable
sanitation service delivery in Ghana; health sector decentralisation and delivery of
responsible healthcare in Ghana; and fiscal decentralisation with autonomy for
service delivery and poverty reduction in Ghana. This part discusses revenue
Foreword vii
mobilisationwhichisthe“energy”toensurethatthereisthecapacityofthesystem
tofunctioneffectivelyandefficiently.Efficientrevenuemobilisationcanalsoensure
that theactivities toenhance delivery ofhealthandsanitationservicesandpoverty
reductionkeeprunning.
Part IV is on the theme “Non-State actors, local governance and sustainable
development”. Four sub-themes are discussed, namely changing role of traditional
authoritiesinlocalgovernanceanddevelopmentinGhana;non-governmentalorga-
nisations as partners for sustainable local development: Ghana’s Experiences;
strengtheningcitizens’participationinlocaleconomicdevelopmentforsustainabil-
ityinGhana;anddecentralisingfordemocraticpolycentriclocalgovernmentsystem
inGhana:challengesforsustainabledevelopment.Thechangingrolesoftraditional
authorities (TAs) in colonial and post-colonial times as well as their contemporary
roles in local governance are discussed. Currently, most traditional authorities are
designing visions of development within the paradigm of contemporary develop-
mentratherthansittinginpalacestoperformculturalroles.Theircommunitieslook
to them for leadership that will drive development. The NGOs are discussed. The
impactofNGOsandtheirroleindevelopmentatboththelocalandnationallevelsis
highlighted.Factorsthatconstraintheperformancearediscussedandrecommenda-
tions for improving their roles in sustainable local development made. Democratic
decentralisation, local governance and sustainable development nexus will survive
within the framework of economic development as a catalyst. The final chapter
ascertains the operations of the democratic polycentric local government system,
withitschallenges.
Thebookthusdiscussesissuesofsustainabledevelopmentwithintheframework
of democratic decentralisation. It deals with governmental structures, resource
mobilisation, operation of traditional authorities in local administration, local eco-
nomicdevelopment andgenderissuesinlocalgovernance,amongothers.Besides,
criticalissuesofdevelopmentsuchassanitationandenvironmentalsanityaswellas
health have been discussed. In sum, the document discusses the overriding ramifi-
cations of development infrastructure within the framework of democratic decen-
tralisationwhichisaframeworkforaddressingtheproblemscuttingacrossAfrica,
especiallysub-SaharanAfricaandotherdevelopingcountries.Thelayreaderwould
be enlightened by the development perspectives in developing countries and how
democratic governance could be used as a tool to pursue development, and
researchers will find models on development, especially on democratic decentrali-
sation as a conduit for pursuing the developmental agenda. It is hoped that the
chapters shall form a basis for further research initiatives on democratic decentral-
isation,localgovernanceandsustainabledevelopment.
KwameNkrumahUniversityofScience DanielBuor
andTechnology,Kumasi,Ghana
Acknowledgements
Our utmost appreciation goes to the Almighty God for His strength and guidance
every step on the way to this final output. We express sincere appreciation to the
managementandstaffoftheNordicAfricaInstitute,Uppsala,Sweden,forproviding
financial and administrative support for the lead editor to convene an international
conferenceondemocraticdecentralisation,localgovernanceandsustainabledevel-
opment hosted by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS) of the
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi,
Ghana,wheretheideaforthisbookprojectwasborninApril2019.
Wearemostgratefultothefollowingindividualswhoseperspectivesandinsights
sharedontheconferencethemeandthebookprojectideashapedthecontentofthis
knowledge output: Iina Soiri, former Director, Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala;
Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service, Ghana; Prof. Dr. Dr.
DanielBuor,formerVice-ChancellorofValleyViewUniversity,Accra;Prof.Victor
Adetula, former Head of Research, Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala; Prof. Imoro
Braimah, former Provost, CoHSS, KNUST, Kumasi; Prof. Jesse Ribot, School of
International Service, American University, Washington D.C.; Prof. Nana S. E.
Edusah, former Director, Bureau of Integrated Rural Development, KNUST,
Kumasi; Prof. Charles Marfo, Provost, CoHSS, KNUST; Prof. (Sr.) Eugenia
Amporfo, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi; and Prof.
George Bob-Milliar, Director of the Centre for Cultural and African Studies,
KNUST,Kumasi.
Finally,weacknowledgeallthechaptercontributorstothiseditedcollectionfor
their inputs without which this book may not have been published to inform local
governancepolicyandpracticeindevelopingcountries.
ix
About This Book
Decentralisationhasgainedworldwiderecognitionparticularlyindevelopingcoun-
triesduetoitsassociationwithdemocracy,transformativeparticipationofcitizensin
national and local governance, effective service delivery and sustainable develop-
mentoutcomes.InmostdevelopingcountriesparticularlyinAfrica,decentralisation
hasbeenadoptedasabottom-upinterventiontopromotelocal-levelgovernanceand
developmentinlinewiththeprinciplesofsubsidiarityandinclusiveandsustainable
development.However,impactsandchallengesofpublicsectorreformsinthename
ofdecentralisationandlocalgovernanceinmostAfricancountriesareoftenassumed
withoutempiricalverification.Hence,whetherandhowdemocraticdecentralisation
and local governance reforms in developing countries have produced anticipated
development outcomes was the primary motivation for this edited collection. The
book bridges an empirical knowledge gap by drawing on field-based data and
experiences from the practice of democratic decentralisation and local governance
overthelastthreedecadesinGhana.Unlikeotherliteratureondecentralisation,this
book blends perspectives of scholars, practitioners and policymakers to provide
holisticanalysisoflinkagesbetweendecentralisation,localgovernanceandsustain-
able development efforts, hence making it a novelty and useful guide for science,
policyandpracticeofbottom-upgovernanceanddevelopment.Itprovidesrelevant
lessonsandexperiencesforscholars,policymakersanddevelopmentpractitionersin
Africa in particular and developing countries in general. The book comprises a
collection of seventeen related papers presented under four relevant focal themes,
namely conceptual and historical trajectories of decentralisation and local gover-
nance; institutional choice, democratic representation and poverty reduction; local
governance, resource capacity and service delivery; and non-state actors, local
governanceandsustainabledevelopment.
xi