Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship
Ghana embarked on decentralisation in 1988 as a way of bringing decision making closer to the people. Since then, there have several reforms with a view to strengthening local governance. This article identifies a major challenge still facing Ghana’s decentralisation: Partnership between local gover...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UTS ePRESS
2009-11-01
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| Series: | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance |
| Online Access: | https://learning-analytics.info/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/1331 |
| _version_ | 1828473449716121600 |
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| author | Callistus Mahama |
| author_facet | Callistus Mahama |
| author_sort | Callistus Mahama |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ghana embarked on decentralisation in 1988 as a way of bringing decision making closer to the people. Since then, there have several reforms with a view to strengthening local governance. This article identifies a major challenge still facing Ghana’s decentralisation: Partnership between local government and traditional authorities. The paper discusses the fuzzy relationship between local governments and traditional authorities as a result of constitutional and legislative ambiguity on their relationship. Traditional Authorities perform important functions in the country, albeit their roles have waned since independence. Yet current legal provisions on local government have not sufficiently clarified their role in local administration. This has led to a murky and competing relationship between traditional authorities and local governments. In localities where mutual relationship exists, it is mainly as a result of the personalities involved and this has had a positive effect on the development of the area. The paper concludes by advocating for measures which among others include a re-enactment of legislation which will define the working relationship between traditional authorities and local government. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:44:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e97c0df799dc43cdb7e788e8972b8ef5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1836-0394 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:44:36Z |
| publishDate | 2009-11-01 |
| publisher | UTS ePRESS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance |
| spelling | doaj.art-e97c0df799dc43cdb7e788e8972b8ef52022-12-22T01:19:01ZengUTS ePRESSCommonwealth Journal of Local Governance1836-03942009-11-01410.5130/cjlg.v0i4.1331883Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive RelationshipCallistus Mahama0Institute of Local Government StudiesGhana embarked on decentralisation in 1988 as a way of bringing decision making closer to the people. Since then, there have several reforms with a view to strengthening local governance. This article identifies a major challenge still facing Ghana’s decentralisation: Partnership between local government and traditional authorities. The paper discusses the fuzzy relationship between local governments and traditional authorities as a result of constitutional and legislative ambiguity on their relationship. Traditional Authorities perform important functions in the country, albeit their roles have waned since independence. Yet current legal provisions on local government have not sufficiently clarified their role in local administration. This has led to a murky and competing relationship between traditional authorities and local governments. In localities where mutual relationship exists, it is mainly as a result of the personalities involved and this has had a positive effect on the development of the area. The paper concludes by advocating for measures which among others include a re-enactment of legislation which will define the working relationship between traditional authorities and local government.https://learning-analytics.info/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/1331 |
| spellingShingle | Callistus Mahama Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance |
| title | Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship |
| title_full | Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship |
| title_fullStr | Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship |
| title_full_unstemmed | Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship |
| title_short | Local Government and Traditional Authorities in Concert: Towards a More Productive Relationship |
| title_sort | local government and traditional authorities in concert towards a more productive relationship |
| url | https://learning-analytics.info/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/1331 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT callistusmahama localgovernmentandtraditionalauthoritiesinconcerttowardsamoreproductiverelationship |