Forging towards a Decentralized Administrative Governance in Ghana

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• DALLAS 10 years ago

  This. by far, is the most lousy article I've ever seen on this platform. The writer is either intellectally bankrupt or disingenuous. Federalism is not decentralization. These are separatist maggots clandestinely gnawing awa ...
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  This. by far, is the most lousy article I've ever seen on this platform. The writer is either intellectally bankrupt or disingenuous. Federalism is not decentralization. These are separatist maggots clandestinely gnawing away the fabric that knit our society together as a country. The authorities don't wanna be caught call-watching.

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• Mumini UK Land 10 years ago

  You do t have to attach him just share your views . Decentralized system of gov is critical . The current gov can not continue to use our resource as personal bank account thus is over due .

  You do t have to attach him just share your views . Decentralized system of gov is critical . The current gov can not continue to use our resource as personal bank account thus is over due .

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• Yaw Yeboah 10 years ago

  I am a supporter of Decentralisation as National Government in Ghana, has not worked particularly since 1966. One of the main reasons behind the 1966 Coup, was Corruption now nearly 50 years later the same problem exists on a ...
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  I am a supporter of Decentralisation as National Government in Ghana, has not worked particularly since 1966. One of the main reasons behind the 1966 Coup, was Corruption now nearly 50 years later the same problem exists on a much larger scale. Senior Civil Servants, Ministers of States (of Political Parties & Military Regimes), have been looting monies from revenues generated from resources and minerals generated in the 10 Regions, and in return during the run up to Elections various Developmental Projects will occur to encourage the electorate to vote for the Government.
  Personally, I do not see a prosperous future for Ghana under the NDC or NPP.
  A good example, of how Decentralisation can work is China which until the 1980's was viewed as a poor one-party Communist State. This was until Central Government decided to devolve some powers to the Provinces/Regions and allowed them to introduce free-market economic policies. Decentralised Government has transformed China into the 2nd richest economy in the World. However, officially China still remains a one- party Communist State.
  I would like to see directly elected Local Assemblies in each of the 10 Regions and a Central Government with less Executive powers.
  Local people must have more opportunities to participate in the decision making process.
  Their also needs to be more financial accountability for the income revenue generated in each of the 10 Regions and how the Government spends this income revenue. All National Governments since 1957, have failed to provide financial accountability and corruption has continued to flourish. This problem will not be solved by voting for NDC or NPP. These political parties are the problem and therefore, cannot be the solution.
  Ghana is a relatively new Country compared to others. We have tried democratically elected and Military Governments and both have failed to effectively govern the country. Therefore, it is time to discuss alternative forms of governance and choose a method of decentralised administration that will suit Ghana. This will mean studying the different models that exist in other countries.
  The Writer stated the following:
  '' The idea of Decentralisation is about giving all Regions the chance to progress, and placing the development of each Region in the hands of the people who live in it and recognising that it is far easier to develop Ghana in portions as opposed to as one''.
  How can anyone argue or oppose this idea?
  Decentralisation in Ghana is long overdue.

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• C/C 10 years ago

  those lazy asses who just sneak around to steal natural resources from western/central.ashanti/B/A,Eastern regions and north

  those lazy asses who just sneak around to steal natural resources from western/central.ashanti/B/A,Eastern regions and north

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• Kwabena Yeboah 10 years ago

  You wrote the whole article without explaining the meaning of decentralization. Power is centered in Accra because it is the seat of government, besides Ghana is a unitary state. What form of decentralization are you advocati ...
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  You wrote the whole article without explaining the meaning of decentralization. Power is centered in Accra because it is the seat of government, besides Ghana is a unitary state. What form of decentralization are you advocating, federalism?
  
  You cannot decentralize without vesting power in regional governments/administrators - it does not work that way. When you whittle away the power of the central government, then what you have is federalism. Why don't you say so if you want a federalist constitution and stop beating about the bush. A Decentralized Administrative Governance is a federal proposition and you should be able to tell your readers what will be different by turning Ghana into federalism because I do not see any gains that would accrue to our people.
  
  As funny as it may sound, apart from a brief period under Dr. Nkrumah, we Ghanaians have not done anything well. All our institutions are in shambles - Parliament, Judiciary, and the Executive; we take institutions that work so well elsewhere, and we add our blackness to them and destroy them. What makes you think that a federalist Ghana will work better? Look at Nigeria, your neighbour and tell me what you think.
  
  The problem we have in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa is the driver, not the vehicle. Instead of blaming the driver (Ghanaians and the quality of leadership), you are blaming institutions (the vehicle) that have worked so well in other parts of the world.
  
  Your article is very shallow, and lack a reference point for a meaningful national discourse. I am surprised!

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• Okoh 10 years ago

  Now you're talking Kwabena Yeboah. This article's main purpose is to bring out ideas such as you're doing without insults. When I talk about a decentralized administration or a decentralized government, it is just that, I'm ...
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  Now you're talking Kwabena Yeboah. This article's main purpose is to bring out ideas such as you're doing without insults. When I talk about a decentralized administration or a decentralized government, it is just that, I'm not about to give a class in government, I think most of my readers can understand it, and I gave a preview in the first paragraph, 1st 2 sentences. You're right that the power is already centred in Accra. Perhaps this article will pinch some nerves and people will start asking if what we have is working. You see, if I'm lucky the central government will construct a road into my village (which has not been done in the last 50 years at least), but were they able to develop the side streets that lead to my elementary school, or to my church or to the clinic or to my house? So who will take care of those small roads, who will pay workers to clean up the streets in my village? You're right we cannot decentralized without vesting power to the regions. I'm asking that we vest power to the regions and districts. You yourself has admitted that nothing has worked for Ghana, yet you do not want to open this up to discussion, why? Thanks for your contribution anyway, but I just want to ask you. Where in the world do you see someone sitting in Accra and planning for what goes on in Yendi? It simply is not practical.

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• Akos 10 years ago

  A must read

  A must read

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• Kwabena Yeboah 10 years ago

  What you are referring to is Regional and local governments, which are entrenched in our unitary-state Constitution. The central government in Accra bestows on the regional and local governments the power to develop their loc ...
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  What you are referring to is Regional and local governments, which are entrenched in our unitary-state Constitution. The central government in Accra bestows on the regional and local governments the power to develop their locales and allocates funds in budgetary planning for the purpose. These parastatal governments exist in our Constitution and function the same way our Parliament and other notable institutions function in the country, if you get the drift.
  
  Here is what you need to write about if you want to incite or generate a national discourse. For the parastatal governments to work, Ghanaians need to pay their fair share of taxes. Ghanaians and their governments have long depended on donor countries and foreign loans to fund the country's development needs. Ghanaians want clean cities, tarred roads and other beautiful infrastructure in their cities and towns, but they refuse to pay for them.
  
  When we begin to pay our fair share of taxes, then we can hold our governments, both central and local governments to task if your village has dilapidated roads and streets. You can't develop cities and towns with borrowed money, and does not work that way.

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• Kwabena Yeboah 10 years ago

  The Canadian government has a system where it transfer tax revenues to poorer provinces to ensure that the country is equally developed. The system is called Equalization payment.
  
  In this system, the federal government c ...
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  The Canadian government has a system where it transfer tax revenues to poorer provinces to ensure that the country is equally developed. The system is called Equalization payment.
  
  In this system, the federal government collects all the taxes from all ten provinces and territories, and based on a formula agreed to by all provinces and territories, transfer tax revenue it has collected to the poor provinces to ensure that services obtained in one part of the country (the rich provinces), the same services can be obtained in poorer provinces. This is strictly tax revenues, so wherever province you travel to in Canada, they all have identical infrastructure and amenities. Canadians don't move from city to city in order to enjoy a state of the art medical car or community centre and other stuff.
  
  This is how some countries build their states - they like beautiful things and they pay for it. One lessons Africans have to learn is that there is no free lunch. People complain that Accra is filthy and want it clean, but they don't want to pay for it. These are things you should write about, and why not!

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• DALLAS 10 years ago

  I'm not opposed to the concept of decentralization. However, I was only trying to correct the writer's erroneous analysis of decentralization. There's some count of ambiguity, with regards to federalism and decentralization. ...
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  I'm not opposed to the concept of decentralization. However, I was only trying to correct the writer's erroneous analysis of decentralization. There's some count of ambiguity, with regards to federalism and decentralization. in his write up. Federal system of government is not synonymous to decentralization. Unfortunately, the writer is confusing the two. Hence the need to draw his attention to the contradictions. I believe he can do a better job on this subject.

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• Kwame adusah 10 years ago

  I really support your views on federal system of government. It is seriously wrong to put the nation resources in to the hands of one political party. In our system, the regional ministers are appointed by a ruling party with ...
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  I really support your views on federal system of government. It is seriously wrong to put the nation resources in to the hands of one political party. In our system, the regional ministers are appointed by a ruling party with no specific mandate to create and develop the regions base on the resources available to them. Often the appointed ministers are without a budget and authority to change things at the local level. Decentralization would allow the regions to make effective decisions which are suitable for their environment.

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• Investor 10 years ago

  Will be a game change for Ghana if they use Decentralization Administration method. It is the only way to accelerate developments through out the regions and reduce massive corruptions. No wonder why Ghana is still stack in t ...
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  Will be a game change for Ghana if they use Decentralization Administration method. It is the only way to accelerate developments through out the regions and reduce massive corruptions. No wonder why Ghana is still stack in the stone. age.

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