Implementation Gaps in Human Resource Performance Management Practices in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe.

Any performance management (PM) practice implemented by an organisation has a direct impact on organisational performance and development; this paper therefore discusses challenges based on primary and secondary research findings, with the aim to explore how these findings correlate with how the successful implementation of PM practices is perceived and applied in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research approach was used to collect data. The findings confirm that the implementation of PM has been marred by various challenges, which have, in turn, greatly affected performance results. Challenges identified by this study were, and continue to be, experienced at different levels of PM implementation strategies (e.g., at the formulation stage versus the implementation stage), and hence may hinder the effective implementation of PM practices in the MOHCC. The paper offers recommendations for consideration at political, policy, organisational, departmental, individual, and stakeholder levels.

Technology Governance: Minding and Closing the Gaps in Africa

Technological innovation is at the heart of human evolution and progress. It is a catalyst for human well-being and socio-economic development. The rapid advancement the world is currently witnessing in this regard also birth concerns and ambiguities around the tension between benefits of today’s innovations and technologies and their actual and potential harm or risks. This paper outlines some key challenges to the global governance of emerging technologies to maximise benefits while preventing harm. The paper also identified some gaps in technology governance in Africa, their implications, and some key issues that need to be considered in closing these gaps. It argues that African governments, the corporate sector, academic institutions and other stakeholders need to begin to engage the current state of innovations and technologies and their possible futures and implications for the continent more critically and innovatively. This will require approaches informed by current needs and future thinking, are in sync with global trends, and prioritise Africa’s interests and needs. The current decolonisation debates in Africa should specifically inform such approaches. That will address the emerging patterns of coloniality observed in the current technological landscape and prevent the future occurrence of such practices. Additionally, considering rural African populations and their importance to the continent’s sustainable development, approaches to technological governance should also aim to centralise rather than marginalise rural communities. The paper concludes by highlighting some key areas of future research, such as investigating ways to achieve inclusive, just and equitable technological governance.

Institutional Quality and Economic Performance in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region: A Dynamic Panel Analysis

The quality of institutions has increasingly become a key determinant of economic performance. This confirms a paradigm shift from the conventional macroeconomic determinants to governance as the crucial determining factor of economic performance, particularly in developing countries where economic growth is stagnant or moving at a meagre rate. With the aid of macroeconomic and governance data, this paper reports on an empirical analysis performed to quantify the impact of institutional quality on economic performance in Southern African economies over the period 2009-2019 by employing Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) technique with fixed effects. The empirical results indicate a negative and statistically significant coefficient for the governance index, inflation, and natural resources towards GDP growth. In contrast, trade openness, financial development, and domestic investment have positive and statistically significant coefficients. Based on the composite governance index, these results suggest that a weak institutional environment that aggravates corruption levels causes instability while also stimulating rent-seeking behaviour, which ultimately stifles economic performance in the region. Therefore, to attain inclusive and sustainable economic growth rates, the regional authorities should strengthen the law and enforce the rules.

Can National Development Thrive Without Local Government’s Constructive Input? Outlook of Nigeria, with Lessons for Africa

Satisfactory nationwide development without constructive local governments’ input is mutually exclusive. Meaning that institution of effectual local administrations not to produce deleterious interaction-effect of development is essential. This paper evaluates published articles between 2010 and 2020 on Nigerian context to comprehend what undermines impactful local governments’ participation in national development to pinpoint lessons for African nations. It addresses the question of how abject local government in place do not support its positive involvement in overall national development. The intrinsic purpose of local government according to the classical theory’s logic is the paper’s theoretical foundation. Deriving from a literature review methodology, the paper proffers reform agendas to enhance optimal efficacy of local administrations in the intergovernmental relations schemes for development in Africa from literature insights of the Nigerian situation. The analysis parallel the three thematic codes evolved from the classical theory’s justification of local government: optimization of local governance, enhancement of local democracy, and facilitation of efficient local services delivery. It observes that implementation of ineffectual decentralization policies and lack of local autonomy are critical factors undermining optimum development in Nigeria, viz African countries. Whereas, decentralization and local autonomy accentuates the centrality of local government in the national developmental trajectory.

Governance failure and the formation of Anti-State Organisations: The Impact of the Amnesty Policy on the Development of Nigeria’s Niger-Delta, Nigeria

The Amnesty policy was devised by the Nigerian government to take-off militants from attacking oil pipelines in Niger-Delta. This was with the view to promoting development in the region. While studies have examined the influence of the Amnesty policy on the empowerment of repentant militants, little is known about how governance failure in the implementation of the policy provokes the formation of anti-state organizations and its contributions to development in the region. This research addresses this gap by examining the role of the Nigerian government in the implementation of the amnesty policy, and identify, if any, failure in the implementation of the policy, provokes the resurgence of anti-state organizations in the region. The study used a qualitative research design and findings indicated that the formation of the Niger-Delta Avengers; an anti-state organisation, was due to the government's inaction to effectively implement the amnesty policy as expected. Furthermore, results showed that the Nigerian government was more interested in protecting its oil pipelines and wells than the development of the area. The paper concludes that the Amnesty policy is a conduit pipe for corruption by successive representatives of Nigerian government.