Towards a broken and dysfunctional decentralization:

the case of Sekyere South District

That Ghana’s decentralization programme is not working effectively is never a far cry from reality. The decentralization programme which began in 1988 had an objective of promoting effective and accountable local government in the country with the ultimate goal of clamping down on poverty. Rather the significance of decentralization has been stultifying. Lives in rural areas and even urban community have increasingly been subjected to a quagmire of crushing poverty while the few so-called elites – stuck in intellectual conservatism – amass wealth to themselves.

Of all the obstacles that thwart the country’s development efforts, “dirty decentralization” is perhaps the most daunting. Though they are known to be society elites they are as well “functional illiterates” – do not understand the import or the meaning of development. The reason for increased rural poverty is not far-fetched. The local governance systems meant to cater for grassroots concerns are all broken and dysfunctional.

Sekyere South District happens to be one of the twenty seven (27) districts in Ashanti Region. The district, upon personal experience, has sadly been the epitome of a broken and dysfunctional decentralization. A district with all the available good conditions to support viable economic activities and varieties of crops including cocoa and coffee simply lives outside its vision and mission. With its inspirationally engraved vision of “creating the necessary conditions for private sector development through job creation and access to basic services by actively involving the masses in the decision making process”, one is pricked to assume if even there is poverty in the region. This vision, however, smacks of a complete paradox.

Poverty continues to exact its ravaging effects on the majority. The fates of farmers are left to the lap of the gods. The district pretends not to have the capacity of improving agriculture production for export when one farmer (a former best Ashanti Regional Youth Farmer) could grow and export “chillies” – a variety of pepper – without the support of Sekyere South District Assembly. What then prevents the district assembly in organizing and increasing the capacities of ordinary farmers to export crops? Export of crops does not only earn the district assembly revenues but goes on to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

Delving into the issue of local governance in the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, one is tempted to believe if Ghana is really serious towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. It is disheartening to witness how the concept of decentralization is being manhandled and how the decentralization system has being manipulated by the few to satisfy their illegitimate selfish interests.

Hypocritically infused with the ethos of participatory governance, the few stand for themselves and how to fill their ‘stomach’ is their agenda all day. They are rather representative of themselves thinking of nothing good but how to line their pockets to the detriment of the ordinary poor. It is regrettable when the President, with all the passion towards ensuring a better Ghana, has local administrative representatives who think otherwise. At Sekyere South District Assembly, laws governing local government structures are simply taken for granted. In their frenzied attempt to amass cheap wealth, viable projects are at best delayed. Again, a project that would seemingly not bring money to the pocket of one person or a “clandestine group” would not be undertaken simply because signatories may not be ready to validate the withdrawal of funds for projects that benefit the poor. Even worrying is that amidst the display of these shameful attitudes, several kilometers of roads in the district are poor and dusty, affecting the ease with which people move and agriculture produce are transported to the market. Children still sit under trees or dilapidated structures to access basic education.

Information has it that a slaughter house or abattoir, that has direct concern with the environment, is being built in Wiamoase without the adequate knowledge, consent and participation by the District Environmental Office. What then is the essence of the decentralized departments? Is this not simply outrageous?

Indeed, no political party, no international organization or agency and not a divine intervention can salvage the country from the grips of abject poverty if our leaders do not change their shameful but wicked attitude. For some strange reason, central governments, development experts, aid agencies and multilateral institutions assume that such lawlessness and banditry at the local government level have no effects whatsoever on local economic development. The destructions being caused by the country’s local governance system have grown more and more blatant.

The reason for the struggle of Ghana to extend the benefits of development to the poor is solely the pageantry of selfishness and insensitivity of people at the metropolitan, municipal and district levels. I know that what’s happening in Sekyere South District is a sign of national canker. Sekyere South District is a sad scenario where local government laws are easily flouted with impunity. A lot of nefarious operations have bedeviled the assembly and are all shrouded in secrecy.

This article is not only meant to expose the anomalies in Sekyere South District Assembly and all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies but to inform the president and policy makers at the central seat that intrinsic monitoring is needed at the local government levels if development can be realized. These attitudes being exhibited are aggravating rural poverty and this is exactly my concern.

I would admonish our leaders especially of Sekyere South District Assembly to perfectly lead, follow or get out of the way! There are, however, a few committed to moving the district in a different dimension. They contribute relentlessly to attract international and private investments.

It is about time poverty was eradicated in rural areas. The district is such vulnerable that it needs urgent development strategies. The few selfish who misappropriate what belongs to the people have their day of reckoning grinding slowly but surely coming. It is increasingly clear that such antics and obsession with individualism betray a woeful lack of understanding of contemporary development process.

Watch out for more startling revelation of “dirty” decentralization at full display in Sekyere South District Assembly!

The author, Stephen Yeboah is the National Coordinator for Osagyefo Network for Rural Development (OSNERD), an NGO based in Kumasi. (email: stephenyeboah110@yahoo.com)