scholarly journals The Imperative of E - Participation in Sustainable Community Development in Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 211
Author(s):  
Francis Kyere ◽  
Naana Yaa Gyamea Kumah
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Active Participation ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Sustainable Community ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Right

The study examines some relevance of e- participation in achieving sustainable community development in Ghana. Information and Communication Technology has created an avenue to promote participation, transparency and trust when adopted by government. As a newly discovered political tool, ICT serves as a toolbox for reaching out and engaging the public on governmental policies thereby drawing government closer to citizens in policy and decision making. Through the use of secondary data, the study highlights the necessity for ICT and mostly importantly e-participation adoption in local government administration in Ghana.  Citizens having enough access to their elected representatives and some basic public services through the provision of information communication and technology ensures effective and efficient communication between the government and the people at the local level, while it also provides a door for the citizens to receive feedbacks from the right local government quarters. The study concludes that e- participation enhances effective and efficient government service delivery and enhancing citizen’s active participation in local governance to ensure sustainable development.The paper recommends that the in other to ensure active participation of citizens, government should provide the necessary infrastructure and fast track the adoption of ICT and also the training of local government personnel in the art of e- participation through which sustainable community development can be fully attained in Ghana

scholarly journals The ‘silent pistol’ in Ghana’s local government system: presiding members vs. chief executives

2016 ◽  
pp. 161-180
Author(s):  
Issah Justice Musah-Surugu ◽  
Emmanuel Yeboah-Assiamah
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Potential Conflict ◽  
Chief Executives ◽  
Main Research

Decentralisation and local governance aim at local economic development, but collaboration among key actors at the local level is essential in realising this objective. However, at district assembly level Ghana exhibits problematic conflicts between district chief executives (DCEs), who head the executive committee, and presiding members (PMs) who convene and preside over assembly deliberations, acting as speaker. This study aims to unpack the main causes of such unsavoury conflicts by using 13 case studies from the Ashanti Region. Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. Primary data was gathered from a selection of 40 key informants drawn from three main groups including DCEs, PMs, and other stakeholders such as regional coordinating council members, assembly members and chiefs. The main research instrument was one-on-one in-depth interviews with participants. The study found deep-seated conflicts between DCEs and PMs, in some cases even transcending these two actors to involve a greater section of actors within the local government administration. The study noted that professional bureaucrats within the local government service are affected when allegations of affiliation are levelled against them. The study also found that the legal status of DCEs and PMs appears to be the main driver of potential conflict, although other context-specific issues were also prevalent.

scholarly journals Performance Management as an Alternative Tool for Local Governance: Evidence from Ghanaian Local Government Sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Abagsonema Abane ◽  
Boon-Anan Phinaitrup
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Performance Culture ◽  
Government Sector ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
Secondary Data Sources

The benefit of performance management is to have value for money and make local authorities more responsive to the needs of the grassroots. Therefore, the study addresses the perceived challenges which have been taken-for-granted in institutionalising performance culture at the local level in the context of sub-Sharan Africa. The purpose of this research is to investigate the progress and challenges affecting the institutionalisation of performance management in local government authorities to understand how these impediments impacts on performance culture in local governance. Using two major secondary data sources from Local Government Service, the study analyzes the contents of four key performance areas and the performance rating of local government authorities in Ghana . The study finds evidence to support that performance management may be an alternative tool to enhance the performance of local authorities. However , insufficient resource allocation, the absence of performance improvement programs and involvement of employees remains a challenge.

scholarly journals Local Governance in Nepal: A Study of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, Kaski

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 31-38
Author(s):  
Girdhari Dahal
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Financial Problems ◽  
Rural Municipality ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
The Way

The election of the local government was held in 2017 after 20 years and paved the way of practicing local governance. This paper aims to study governance practices in Machhapuchhre rural municipality and analyze its key performances. It is based on the sources of primary and secondary data. The municipality has formulated 15 acts, 4 regulations, 27 codes of conducts, 2 directives during these three years of democratic exercise at local level. This municipality also developed various infrastructures including provision of teaching in Magar language as mother tongue in a primary school.  Despite these, the municipality is facing shortage of human and financial problems. 

scholarly journals Challenges to Implementing Socially-Sustainable Community Development in Oil Palm and Forestry Operations in Indonesia

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephany I Pasaribu ◽  
Frank Vanclay ◽  
Yongjun Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
West Kalimantan ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Sustainable Community ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Social Licence To Operate ◽  
The Right ◽  
Corporate Social

Through the lenses of community development and social licence to operate, we consider the complex relationships between local communities and forest plantation and oil palm companies. We examine the practical challenges in implementing socially-sustainable community development (SSCD) by analyzing two corporate social investment community development projects located in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Desa Makmur Peduli Api (integrated fire management) and Pertanian Ekologi Terpadu (ecological farming). Our study scrutinized: (i) What were the practice challenges faced by the companies in establishing SSCD?; Along with (ii) what should be done to improve how SSCD is undertaken, especially in Indonesia? We identified five challenges: (1) unresolved land conflict; (2) determining the right program; (3) building community capacity rather than providing irrelevant training; (4) a shortage of company field staff and government facilitators; and (5) managing community expectations. Better governance of SSCD will reduce conflict between affected communities and companies.

scholarly journals 11 YEARS OF DECENTRALIZATION: HOW DO LOCAL PEOPLES THINK ABOUT DECENTRALIZATON?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Towar Ikbal Tawakkal
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Local Election ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
Good Leader ◽  
Choose People

Law 32/2004, changing the face of local government, from centralization to decentralization. Decentralization is not only related to administrative stuff but also politics. The law gift rights to society to participate in local governance. It means, hopefully, that democracy values which become the spirit of decentralization, can be applied by local peoples. Through participating in governance, peoples can maximize local development. After one decade, decentralization presenting various achievements. Some cities or regencies, such as Surabaya City, can develop quickly, but others slowly. Different achievement and similar opportunity among them produced questions about how local peoples understand decentralization. Generally, this article will talk about two big questions: how do local peoples think about democracy? and, how do local peoples see political instruments in local level?. This article is based on a survey in Surabaya City during May 2016. Survey have conducted by questionnaire to 1023 respondents The result showed that local people limit the meaning of decentralization. 50,7% respondents were not interested in general political issues, and only 7.5% who were interested. The numbers explained that Surabaya peoples tend to be apathetic to politics. Even, the survey also found only 21.3% respondents who believe that democracy is a way to welfare. But, when respondents were asked question about the priority of meaning of democracy, 25.8% respondents (high percentage) see democracy as an opportunity to change the government. They seen local election (Pilkada) is the opportunity, choose people who will be local government leader. We can conclude that Surabaya peoples did not apply democracy values (all kind of political participations) completely, in local governance, but they were interested in having a good leader. That why Surabaya peoples see political decentralization is a local election (Pilkada)

scholarly journals Local government financial condition and sustainable development of communities in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Obal Usang Edet Usang ◽  
Basariah Salim
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Financial Condition ◽  
Financial Conditions

This paper aims at examining the financial condition of local governments in Nigeria and to assess its implications on sustainable development of communities. Secondary data from 122 local governments for a period of three years were utilized in examining the financial conditions of local governments in Nigeria. Findings show that the financial condition of local governments in Nigeria is poor, indicating financial distress. Hence, the deteriorating state of communities as less is available for development. There is need for the development of revenue generating and management strategies by local government administrators in order to ensure sustainable community development.

scholarly journals Community development workers (CDWs): a case study of the Bitou Local Municipality

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kishore Raga ◽  
J Derek Taylor ◽  
A Gogi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Developmental State ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
The Government ◽  
Development Workers

Local government in South Africa is no longer simply an extension of the national and provincial spheres of government; it has become an independent sphere in its own right. Steady progress has been made in the delivery of services since the advent of a democratic and developmental state in 1994. The 1996 South African Constitution positions local government as an independent sphere of the government, interrelated to and interdependent with the national and provincial governments. To give it a collective voice, local government speaks from a position of strength through organised local government, as embodied in the South African Local Government Association (hereafter referred to as SALGA). The government is aware of the challenges facing local government service delivery, particularly in the rural areas, where progress in service delivery has been slow. During the former Presidential Izimbizo’s, the gap between the government’s delivery efforts and communities’ ability to benefit from that delivery was repeatedly highlighted. The introduction of community development workers (CDWs) is to assist the three spheres of government to ensure that service delivery reaches the intended recipients effectively and efficiently (IDASA, 2006: On- Line).It was against this background that community development workers (CDWs) were introduced as a link between the government and communities. CDWs are defined as participatory change agents who work in the community in which the live, and to whom they have to answer for their activities. They are required to help members of the community to improve their living standards and change circumstances. To do this, CDWs are expected to make the poor aware of their constitutional rights such as their right to basic service delivery including social grants and assist community members to understand how they can participate in the development plans for their communities. CDWs are expected to facilitate community participation in policy-making, implementation and in service delivery (Republic of South Africa. Grassroots Innovation, 2007). In this article, the role of community development workers in enhancing service delivery within the Bitou Local Municipality is discussed. The article concludes with recommendations based on an empirical survey to establish the extent to which CDWs play a role in improving service delivery and enhancing the accessibility of government services to communities.Keywords: Bitou Local Municipality, local governance, community development workers, participation, ward committeesDisciplines: Public Management and Administration, social science research methodology, development studies

scholarly journals The Prospect of Accountability in Local Governance in Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hari P. Dhungana
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Government Accountability ◽  
Local Planning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
The Government

Government accountability is intrinsic to democracies, as citizens can choose public officials through their popular vote and accordingly exercise some control and oversight over the officials. But elections held in periodic intervals do not allow the scrutiny of the decisions and activities that are conducted on a daily basis. This article examines how to confront this challenge of holding the governments to account, by looking into local governance in Nepal, where citizens have limited knowledge of the government decisions, activities, procedures followed, and their outcomes. This article is developed from the review of policies and laws and semi-structured interviews with elected leaders, civil service personnel, and other stakeholders in select local governments in Nepal. It argues that accountability in local government requires attention not only to laws, but also the practices of civic interaction and the willingness of elected officials and citizens in these engagements. It starts by establishing how the country’s new Constitution of Nepal (2015) espouses a local social contract in view of its division of jurisdictions. It then identifies and analyses the main approaches and tools on government accountability. These encompass broad constitutional provisions to specific legal, institutional and technocratic measures to hold officials to account. It then reveals recent local level experiences around the use of accountability tools and shows that the legacy of widespread collusion and misuse of power continues to be a bottleneck. It concludes that there is a need to foster greater civic demands on accountability and foster measures for deliberation at the municipal level on a more regular basis. Overall, local government accountability should be envisioned as a work-in-progress pursuit and should be coupled with systems of local planning and implementation and vitalization of local democracy.

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