The Policy and Practice of Local Economic Development in Ghana
- 62 Downloads
Abstract
Local economic development (LED) has gained prominence as a feasible option to top–down development approaches that have generally been unsuccessful in generating significant and sustainable development at the local level. While LED has proven to be an attractive local development strategy, very little attention has been devoted to the policy and practice of LED in Ghana. This article fills this gap and contributes to the discussion and evidence of LED in sub-Saharan Africa. The article is the output of an examination of documentary sources on LED policies, practices and case studies in Ghana. We argue that while LED policy and practice in Ghana has been in existence for several years, local areas are still building their impetus for the initiative of their own economic development and find practical solutions that make sense in their milieu. It is crucial for local governments to develop LED actions plans, ensure effective participation of stakeholders, build in value chain and reduce politicisation.
Keywords
Local economic development Policy Ghana PracticeReferences
- Adam, I. 2004 Ghana to blacklist NGOs, February 25, from BBC Africa One-Minute World News web site, available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3517827.stm (accessed June 23, 2017).
- Adei, D., Amponsah, O., & Acheampong, E. O. (2015). Potentials of cellular phone technology for local economic development in the Offinso Municipality, Ghana. The Journal of Rural and Community Development, 10(1), 173–190.Google Scholar
- Agyei, A. F. (2012). Community participation in local economic development in Ghana. Journal of Local Government Studies, 4(1), 25–27.Google Scholar
- Akudugu, J.A. 2013 Organising and implementing local economic development initiatives at the district level in Ghana, unpublished PhD dissertation Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms Universitat, Bonn.Google Scholar
- Akudugu, J.A. and Laube, W. 2013 Implementing local economic development in Ghana: multiple actors and rationalities, Bonn: ZEF Working Paper Series, No. 113.Google Scholar
- Anyatewon, D. K., Tuffour, G. O., & Dinye, R. D. (2016). An evaluation of rural development strategies in the Builsa North District of Ghana. International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies, 3(8), 335–346.Google Scholar
- Arowolo, O.O and Asangalisah, S.A, 2010 Project final evaluation report on decent work and local development through dialogue and partnership building project.Google Scholar
- Arthur, P. (2005). Promoting a local entrepreneurial class in Ghana: the issues and problems. Canadian Journal of African Studies, 39(3), 427–459.Google Scholar
- Arthur, P. (2007). Development institutions and small-scale enterprises in Ghana. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 25(3), 417–437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Asante, E.A. 2012 The case of Ghana’s president’s special initiative on oil palm (PSI-oil palm) (No. 2012: 11). DIIS Working Paper.Google Scholar
- Asiedu, A. B. (2002). Making ecotourism more supportive of rural development in Ghana. West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 3(1), 1–16.Google Scholar
- Ayee, J. R. (2013). The developmental state experiment in Africa: the experiences of Ghana and South Africa. The Round Table, 102(3), 259–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Baisie, E, 2011 Rooting LED activities for sustainable livelihood and economic governance, Awutu-Senya District, Ghana. In Tijmstra, S.A (Ed.), Up-scaling local economic development: lessons from the Ghana decent work programme. International Training Centre of the ILO, Turin, 9.Google Scholar
- Banchirigah, S. M., & Hilson, G. (2010). De-agrarianization, re-agrarianization and local economic development: re-orientating livelihoods in African artisanal mining communities. Policy Sciences, 43(2), 157–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Barberia, L. G., & Biderman, C. (2010). Local economic development: theory, evidence, and implications for policy in Brazil. Geoforum, 41(6), 951–962.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Berman, B.J. 2003 Capitalism incomplete: state, culture and the politics of industrialization. In Tettey W.J., Puplampu K.P. and Berman B.J.(eds). Critical perspectives on politics and socio-economic development in Ghana (pp. 21–44).Google Scholar
- Binns, J. A., & Nel, E. (1999). Beyond the development impasse: local economic development and community self-reliance in South Africa. Journal of Modern African Studies, 37(3), 389–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Blakely, E. J. (1989). Planning local economic development: theory and practice. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
- Blakely, E. J. (1994). Planning local economic development: theory and practice (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
- Canzanelli, G. 2001 Overview and learned lessons on local economic development, human development, and decent work. Universitas Working Papers, ILO (Organización Internacional del Trabajo).Google Scholar
- Carson, M., Cottrell, S., Dickman, J., Gummerson, E., Lee, T., Miao, Y., Teranishi, N., et al., 2005 Managing mineral resources through public-private partnerships: mitigating conflicts in Ghanaian god mining. Working Paper WWS591c. Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Princeton: Princeton University.Google Scholar
- Clark, G., Huxley, J., & Mountford, D. (2010). Organising local economic development: the role of development agencies and companies. Paris: OECD.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Dewar, M. E. (1998). Why state and local economic development programmes cause so little economic development. Economic Development Quarterly, 12(1), 68–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Dugle, D., Akanbang, B. A. A., & Salakpi, A. (2015). Nature of non-governmental organisations involved in local development in the upper west region of Ghana. Ghana Journal of Development, 12(1–2), 142–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Eberts, R. 2005 Overview of state and local economic development policies and practice in the United States. http://www.jil.go.jp/events. accessed on 10/09/2017.
- van Empel, C. (2007). Local economic development in Ghana: rooting public-private dialogue. Acra: ILO.Google Scholar
- Feld, L. P., & Kirchgässner, G. (2001). The political economy of direct legislation: direct democracy and local decision-making. Economic Policy, 16(33), 330–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- van Gerwen, F, 2007 Impact assessment. Local economic development in Awutu Efutu Senya and Ajumako Enyan-Essiam Districts. ILO, Ghana.Google Scholar
- Ghana Export Promotion Council and Commonwealth Secretariat. 2009 Strategy for Ghana’s salt sector. Final report—July 2009.Google Scholar
- Government of Ghana. 2009 Final Report Transitional Committee on the Economy Presented to the Chairman of the Transitional Team. Mr. Paul Victor Obeng. February 3rd, 2009.Google Scholar
- Grooten, S, 2005 A local economic and social development initiative in Ghana: the sub-committees for productive and gainful employment-documentation of two pilot districts’ experiences. ILO-Ghana Decent Work Pilot Programme, Accra.Google Scholar
- Helmsing, A.J.H. 2001 Partnerships, meso-institutions and learning. New local and regional economic development initiatives in Latin America. The Hague: Institute of Social Studies (mimeo).Google Scholar
- Helmsing, A. H. J. (2003). Local economic development: new generations of actors, policies and instruments for Africa. Public Administration and Development, 23(1), 67–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hilson, G., & Banchirigah, S. M. (2009). Are alternative livelihood projects alleviating poverty in mining communities? Experiences from Ghana. The Journal of Development Studies, 45(2), 172–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). (2004). The state of the Ghanaian economy in 2003. Legon: ISSER, University of Ghana.Google Scholar
- Institute of Statistical, Social and economic research (ISSER) 2017 Post-budget analysis: “sowing the seeds for growth and jobs” budget. Policy Brief, Vol. 5, March 2017.Google Scholar
- International Labour Organisation [ILO] (2006). Working out of Poverty in Ghana: The Ghana Decent Work Pilot Program. ILO – Ghana Decent Work Pilot Program Office; Accra, Ghana.Google Scholar
- King, C. 2004 The presidential special initiative on cassava and its unintended consequences. B.A. Long Essay, Department of Sociology. Legon: University of Ghana.Google Scholar
- Lekorwe, M., & Mpabanga, D. (2007). Managing non-governmental organizations in Botswana. The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 12(3), 1–18.Google Scholar
- Martey, S. 2004 Salt: Ghana’s white gold. A special study on the presidential special initiative (PSI) on salt’s prospects. B. A. Long Essay, Department of Sociology. Legon: University of Ghana.Google Scholar
- McLaughlin, C., & Davidson, G. (1994). Spiritual politics: changing the world from the inside out. New York: Ballantine.Google Scholar
- Mensah, J. T., & Botchway, E. (2013). Ghana;s salt industry: a neglected sector for economic development? Resources Policy, 38(3), 288–294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Mensah, J. K., Domfeh, K. A., Ahenkan, A., & Bawole, J. N. (2013a). Policy and institutional perspectives on local economic development in Africa: the Ghanaian perspective. Journal of African Studies and Development, 5(7), 163–170.Google Scholar
- Mensah, J. K., Bawole, J. N., & Ahenkan, A. (2013b). Local economic development initiatives in Ghana: the challenges and the way forward. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 3(2), 142–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Mensah, J. K., Bawole, J. N., & Ahenkan, A. (2017). Local economic development in Ghana: from the ‘lost decades’ to a policy ‘maturing’ stage. Development Southern Africa, 34(5), 607–621.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Meyer-Stamer J. 2005 The Hexagon of LED. Meso-partner Working Papers No. 3. Duisburg.Google Scholar
- Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. 2010 Draft decentralization policy framework: accelerating decentralization and local governance for national development.Google Scholar
- Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. 2014 Operational manual on local economic development for district assemblies in Ghana.Google Scholar
- Nel, E. (2001). Local economic development: a review and assessment of its current status in South Africa. Urban Studies, 38(7), 1003–1024.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Nel, E. L., & Humphrys, G. (1999). Local economic development: policy and practice in South Africa. Development Southern Africa, 16(2), 277–289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd., 2005 Social and community development of the Ahafo region. Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd: Accra, Ghana.Google Scholar
- Oduro-Ofori, E. 2011 The role of local government in local economic development promotion at the district level in Ghana. PhD Thesis. University of Dortmund.Google Scholar
- Oduro-Ofori, E. 2016 Decentralisation and local economic development promotion at the district level in Ghana. In Decentralisation and regional development (pp. 15–36). Springer International Publishing.Google Scholar
- OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), 1996 Creating employment for rural development—new policy approaches. OCED, Paris.Google Scholar
- Okorley, E. L., & Nkrumah, E. E. (2012). Organisational factors influencing sustainability of local non-governmental organisations: lessons from a Ghanaian context. International Journal of Social Economics, 39(5), 330–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- One District One Factory Brochure. (2017). http://1d1f.gov.gh/publication/. Accessed on 23 March, 2017
- Opare, S. (2007). Strengthening community-based organizations for the challenges of rural development. Community Development Journal, 42(2), 251–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Owusu, K and Newiger-Addy, G, 2012 Radio programmes for small businesses using media for local economic development in Ghana. GIZ, Accra Office.Google Scholar
- Perry, M. (2003). Economic relations in European and Southeast Asian borderlands: comparing trans-state and inter-state experiences. Paris: Presses de.Google Scholar
- Pike, A., Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (2006). Local and regional development. Abington, United Kingdom: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Ray, C. (1997). Towards a theory of the dialectic of local rural development within the European Union. Sociologia Ruralis, 37(3), 345–362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Reddy, P.S. 2016 From national to local economic development: the South African case. In Developmental local governance (pp. 86–106). Palgrave Macmillan UK.Google Scholar
- Rodriguez-Pose, A and Tijmastra, S, 2009. On the emergence and significance of local economic development strategies. CAF Working Paper, CAF. 7.Google Scholar
- Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Wilkie, C. (2017). Revamping local and regional development through place-based strategies. Cityscape, 19(1), 151.Google Scholar
- Rogerson, C.M., 2014 Reframing place-based economic development in South Africa: the example of local economic development. In: Szymańska, D. and Biegańska, J. editors, Bulletin of geography. Socio-economic series, no. 24, Toruń: Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, pp. 203–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Rogerson, C. M., & Rogerson, J. M. (2010). Local economic development in Africa: global context and research directions. Development Southern Africa, 27(4), 465–480.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Rural Enterprises Project, 2000 Interim evaluation. https://www.ifad.org/evaluation/reports /ppa/tags/ghana/466/1865738. Accessed on 28/11/2017.
- Rural Enterprises Project 2011 Evaluation of phase II. https://www.ifad.org/evaluation/reports /acp/tags/ghana/1187/y2011/1889851. Accessed on 28/11/2017.
- Sam, K. 2002 President launches export initiative. File: ///A1/ President–launches export initiative.htm, accessed 31st October, 2017.Google Scholar
- Schmitz, H. (1995). Collective efficiency: growth path for small scale industry. Journal of Development Studies., 31(4), 529–566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sutton, J., & Kpentey, B. (2012). An enterprise map of Ghana. London: International Growth Centre.Google Scholar
- Tandoh-Offin, P. (2013). Development planning in Ghana since 1992: implications for the decentralization process in. Journal of International Relations and Diplomacy, 1(2), 93–107.Google Scholar
- Tanga, P. T., & Fonchingong, C. C. (2009). NGO-state interaction and the politics of development in Cameroon in the context of liberalisation. International NGO Journal, 4(4), 084–096.Google Scholar
- Taylor, D. R. F., & Mackenzie, F. (Eds.). (1992). Development from within: survival in rural Africa. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
- Tetteh, E. K., & Frempong, G. K. (2009). Developing the rural economy of Ghana through micro and small enterprises (MSEs): issues and options. African Technology Development Forum Journal, 5(3/4), 3–12.Google Scholar
- Tijmstra, S.A, 2011 Up-scaling local economic development: lessons from the Ghana decent work programme. International Training Centre of the ILO, TurinGoogle Scholar
- Tonah, S. (2006). The presidential special initiative on cassava: a bane or blessing to Ghana’s smallholder farmers. Ghana Journal of Development Studies, 3(1), 66–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Trousdale, W. 2005 Strategic planning for local economic development. The manual volume 1: concepts and process. Nairobi: UN-Habitat and Ecoplan International, Inc.Google Scholar
- Ulrich, S, 2008 Promoting decent work in Africa: policy lessons from applying the local economic development approach in Ghana. Unpublished case study.Google Scholar
- UNDP, 2011 Local economic development: 2011 annual work plan. UNDP, Ghana Office.Google Scholar
- Varol, Ç. (2010). Strategies for promoting entrepreneurship in local economic development: case of Ankara-Turkey. Gazi University Journal of Science, 23(1), 97–106.Google Scholar
- Vordzorgbe, S.D., and Caiquo, B. 2001 OECD/DAC dialogues with developing countries on national strategies for sustainable development: report on status review in Ghana, submitted to International Institute on Environment and Development, London, UK and National Development Planning Commission, Accra, Ghana.Google Scholar
- Wangwe, S. (ed) 1995 Introduction. Exporting Africa: technology, trade and industrialisation in sub-Saharan Africa. London: Routledge, pp. 1–15.Google Scholar
- Wilson, P. A. (1995). Embracing locality in local economic development. Urban Studies, 32(4–5), 645–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- World Bank. (2004). Local economic development: a primer. Developing and implementing local economic development strategies and action plans. Washington D.C: World Bank.Google Scholar
- Xuza, P. (2007). Ten years and ten trends of local economic development practice in South Africa: a practitioner’s perspective. Urban Forum, 18(2), 117–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar