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Decentralisation Reforms in Ghana: The Experiences of the Fifth and Sixth Governments of the Fourth Republic
What were the decentralisation reforms? What did they consist of? What were their origins? Who authorised them? What were their outcomes? What Impact have they had on the local governance and decentralisation landscape In Ghana?
The answer to the first question is that they were new initiatives and innovations designed to accelerate the pace of and improve upon decentralisation implementation in Ghana.
The answer to the second question is that they consisted of a National Decentralisation Policy Framework and a National Decentralisation Action Plan I (2010-2014) and II (2015-2019), an Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC), an expansion in the number of districts, a consolidated Local Governance Act, a re-branding of the Office of the Head of Local Government Service, the operationalisation of the Local Government Service and the introduction of a system of Inter-Service/Inter-Sectoral Collaboration and Cooperation. It also covered the enactment of National Development Planning (System) Regulations and a Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, the introduction of a Regional Integrated Budget System (RIBS) and blueprints for an Inter-Governmental Fiscal Framework (IGFF) and an Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfer (IGFT) system.
The answer to the third question is that the reforms were traceable to the 2008 manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party which won the Presidential and Parliamentary elections of 2008 and 2012 and therefore formed the Fifth and Sixth Governments of the Fourth Republic.
The answer to the fourth question is that the reforms were authorised by Presidents John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama who successively were Presidents of the Fifth and Sixth Governments of the Fourth Republic.
The answer to the fifth question about outcomes is the new structures, procedures and processes for decentralisation implementation, the improved quality of human resources in the local government sector, and the more efficient systems of checks and balances in the sector.
The answer to the sixth question lies in the District Assemblies (MMDAs), the better service delivery by the Metropolitan, Municipal and of service delivery, the renewed interest in local governance by the citizenry and the claro Si rate reforms such as the elections of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDC Wand making the MMDAs partisan.
These and answers to other questions posed by the reforms are answered in this book by the two people who should know, namely, the authors Professor Kwamena Ahwoi and Dr Callistus Mahama.
Professor Kwamena Ahwoi is the longest-serving Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in Ghana (1988-2000). He was the Chairman of the High Level Strategic Task Force that produced the Decentralisation Policy Frameworks and Action Plans, He chaired the Legislative Review Task Force that resulted in the enactment of the Local Governance Act, 2016, Act 936 and was consultant to both the Ministry of Local Government and the IMCC during the period.
Dr. Callistus Mahama was a member of the High Level Strategic Task Force, a member of the Legislative Review Task Force, the Executive Coordinator of the IMCC and the Head of the Local Government Service during the period.
The two authors therefore write from a position of knowledge and experience and this is reflected in the contents of the book.
₵95.00 -
Local Government and Decentralisation in Ghana
Developments since the publication of the First Edition of this book in 2010 have compelled the revision and publication of this Second Edition.
In 2011, the Fifth Government of the Fourth Republic launched a new ‘National Decentralisation Policy Framework’ (NDPF 1) and an accompanying National Decentralisation Action Plan’ (NDAP 1). The Local Government Service was operationalised in the same year, resulting in the migration of over 30,000 civil servants from the Civil Service to the Local Government Service.
Prior to these, the Local Government Departments of District Assemblies) (Commencement) Instrument, 2009, L.1. 1961, had been enacted, allowing for the conversion of the de concentrated Departments at the district level into devolved Departments of the District Assemblies. The Local Government (Urban, Zonal and Town Councils and Unit Committees) (Establishment) Instrument, L.1. 1967, was enacted in 2010. The long-awaited Composite Budget was introduced in 2012.
With the expiry of the NDPF 1/NDAP I in 2014, a new NDPF 11/NDAP 11 was launched in 2015 for the period 2015-2019.
A new Local Government (Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies (SMDCs)) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015. 11. 2223, was enacted to provide for uniform composition and functions for the SMDCs in all the six Metropolitan Assemblies.
A National Development Planning (System) Regulations, 2016, enacted to support the National Development Planning and Act, 1994, 148. A Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016, Act 925, was passed to establish a Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and to devolve the Department of Country Planning to the MMDAs.
The disparate laws on local government were consolidated into one Local Governance Act, 2016, Act 936. A new Sports Act 2016, Act 934 and a new decentralised National Youth Authority Act 939 were also enacted.
It is these reforms that the Second Edition of the book has sought to capture, in addition to some elaborations on some of the theoretical underpinnings of local government and decentralisation in Ghana. The sections of Acton Civil Society Organisations and Non-State Actors and Women in Local Governance have been improved. Some aspects of the proposals of the Constitutional Review Commission on local government and decentralisation have been used. Some textual changes have also been made.
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Principles & Practice of Taxation
This book covers all the principles and practice of taxation in Ghana. The book is current and straight to the point, devoid of any technical tax jargons. The cases and exercises at the end of each chapter capture the applications of the principles. Some of the cases are quite lengthy; particularly the style of examiners, the objective is to expose users to both principles and dynamics of the practice of taxation as well as examination.
₵200.00 -
Communication Research and Practice in Ghana
A collection of review articles on the theory and practice of communication by the school of communication studies. Themes include indigenous communication practices, new media, advertising, public opinion pooling, women in media and ethics in media communications.
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The Right Treatment for the Right Disease
Most people are confused about choosing between Alternative and Orthodox medicine. They are not certain about what to go in for: traditional medicine, herbal treatment, homeopathy, food supplements, divine (faith) healing or the doctor’s treatments (orthodox medicine). This book is written to clear these doubts and help you to make the right decision in those crucial moments in order not to be shortchanged. All the various options of healthcare available to you have been addressed in this material, and enough information has been provided to help you make the best of health choices towards living a healthy, long and satisfying life
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Positive Health: Health Beyond Pills
You don’t exist on earth with the main purpose of fighting disease or illness yet much focus of today’s health and healthcare is on how to take people out of negative health (disease and illness). Positive health however emphasises you as a healthy person with health assets for survival. In this book we discuss what those health assets are, that if you discover, cultivate or maintain you will ensure a healthy, happy and long life. In addition, we emphasise wellness as being spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically healthy, and we show you how to achieve this kind of holistic health.
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Concise Text On The Law Of Contract in Ghana (Hardcover)
This book is strictly designed for undergraduates who have followed a course of lectures based on standard works on contract law. It is intended to supplement your course materials, lectures and textbooks; it is a guide to revision rather than a substitute for the amount of reading that you need to do in order to succeed. Contract law is a vast subject as evidenced by the volume of material contained in standard works on the subject. It follows that a revision work cannot cover all the depth and detail that the student needs to know, and it does not set out to do so. The aim is to provide a concise overall picture of the key areas for revision.
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Medical Law in Ghana: A Primer (Hardcover)
Transcending the traditional compartments with which lawyers are familiar, medical law is concerned with issues arising from physician or doctor-patient relationship. Medical Law in Ghana – A Primer seeks to present an exposition of health care law and medical law in Ghana as embodied in both statutory and case law. It addresses the law dealing with doctor-patient relationship; confidentiality and access to medical records; medical education, professional regulation of doctors, nurses and pharmacists; assisted reproduction, euthanasia (assisted dying), clinical trials.
After a general introduction, the book systematically describes law related to the medical profession, proceeding from training, licensing, and other aspects of access to the profession, through disciplinary and professional liability and medical ethics considerations and quality assurance, to such aspects of the physician (doctor)-patient relationship as rights and duties of physicians and patients, consent, privacy, and access to medical records. Also covered are specific issues such as organ transplants, human medical research, abortion, and euthanasia, as well as matters dealing with the physician in relation to other health care providers, health care insurance, and the health care system.
This book is intended to serve as useful source of authoritative information and guide for lawyers, students, health care professionals and all those that have interest in the interface between law and medicine, medical law, bioethics and medical ethics. Succinct and practical, this book will prove to be of great value to professional organizations of physicians, nurses, hospitals, and relevant government agencies. Lawyers representing parties with interests in Ghana will welcome this very useful guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its comparative value as a contribution to the study of medical law in the international context.
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Law of Landlord and Tenant in Ghana
The present work brings to completion my effort to state the complete law of property of Ghana. It was inspired by my earlier work on the customary land law of Ghana. The customary law remains the heart of the Ghanaian land law, but the story of the property law of Ghana is incomplete without a comprehensive account of the received law of property. The present work, therefore, brings to a full circle my efforts to state accurately and wholly the property law of Ghana. The field of Ghanaian property law is dominated by a combination of foreign and indigenous concepts. Arguably, the theoretical aspects of the property law of Ghana stand in need of resolution of the tensions between the two sources of law.
The development of the English law of property was deeply marked by the early activities of the King’s Court and its administration of a centralised system of law as distinguished from an earlier system of localised customary law, varying from place to place. Modified by equity, its doctrines were developed from a centralised system of records. A course in property law ought to equip the student with the entire range of concepts in the field, closely analysed. Described elsewhere as a rubbish heap that has been accumulating for centuries and understood only by the professors, the English law of property does not lend itself to easy understanding. Imposing structure upon a subject comprising essentially English law of property and applying it to Ghanaian circumstances has not been easy. To help the student grasp the interlocking nature of the concepts, and to gain rounded and more profound insights about the various rights and liabilities attached to interests in land, a persistent effort is made to connect the material to Ghanaian cases and statutes.
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Ghana Law of Wills
The succession law of Ghana has undergone enormous change since the enactment of the Wills Act, 1971. Relevant literature has hardly kept pace with changes in statutory and judge-made law. The need for a comprehensive statement of the pertinent law has made itself felt for quite a long time. In response, several eminent jurists have grappled with some of the major problems associated with succession. The present account seeks to provide a detailed assessment, analysis, evaluation and critique of the law of wills of Ghana.
Basically founded upon analysis of the Wills Act, 1971 of Ghana and relevant English principles, the discussion here also traverses a wider field. The end result is an opus that interweaves essentially English concepts of the law of wills with equivalent Ghanaian developments. The topics for discussion are broadened to include indigenous forms of testation.
The book is broken into appropriate divisions and subdivisions to facilitate fuller discussion of each topic, largely along conventional formats for the analysis of the law of wills. The underlying theme is concerned with the devolution of a person’s assets upon death. Both the substantive and procedural laws are considered in some detail and on the basis of consistent principles of law. Various types of wills and rules for the making and revocation of wills as well as laws dealing with privileged wills, incorporation of documents, revival and republication, legacies and the construction of wills are analysed extensively with a view to encapsulating the corpus of the law of wills.
₵250.00Ghana Law of Wills
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MCQs on the Law of Tort: Test Your Knowledge of Tort Law
As Professor Kwame Frimpong notes in his foreword, questions in this book are practical, based on decided cases, as well as hypothetical issues and situations. The book is relevant for all common law faculties of law offering Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) programmes, and other institutions offering the Law of Torts to their students. The book is intended to be a supplement to the standard existing textbooks used by lecturers, and is intended to be a tutorial aid, to be used by lecturers in tutorials, and students in testing their knowledge on the topics covered during lectures. In Ghana, the book also covers Law of Tort topics that are examinable for the entrance examination to the Professional Law programme at the Ghana Law School. It is my hope that the book will be an essential learning tool for students in Ghana and common law world.
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Parasites: The Sly and Sneaky Enemies Inside You (Hardcover)
Watch Out!! Parasites, invaders from the human environment, ages and ages ago, penetrated the world inside human beings. Since then, they have lived inside generations of human beings of all ages, in all parts of the world. Sly and sneaky in their dealings with human beings and totally dishonorable, parasites use underhand methods to enter the human body.
Aware of people’s natural inhibitions to parasites, PARASITES INSIDE YOU presents scientific information on parasites and their clever life cycles in an illustrated, non-technical, easy-to-understand style in order to emphasize simple precautions to take to avoid parasitic infections.₵80.00 -
The Interpersonal Communication Book
The Interpersonal Communication Book provides a highly interactive presentation of the theory, research, and skills of interpersonal communication with integrated discussions of diversity, ethics, workplace issues, face-to-face and computer-mediated communication and the “dark side” of interpersonal communication.
Recognized for its ability to help readers understand the crucial connection between theory and practice, this twelfth edition presents a comprehensive view of the theory and research in interpersonal communication and, at the same time, guides the reader to improve a wide range of interpersonal skills. The text emphasizes how to choose among those skills and make effective communication choices in a variety of personal, social, and workplace relationships. Superior coverage of cultural diversity, ethics, interpersonal communication in the workplace, and the integration of face-to-face and computer-mediated communication make The Interpersonal Communication Book the best choice for preparing to communicate successfully in today’s world.
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Ghana’s 2012 Presidential Election Petition
The story of the presidential election petition as it unfolded outside and inside the courtroom is graphically retold by the author of this book in a straightforward and memorable manner. If you were not among the audience in the courtroom or if you were not a constant watcher of the TV during the hearing of the petition, or if your understanding of the legal process is limited, this book is your best story teller of all that happened.
The author, although a lawyer of many years standing, and a very well-known politician, has not written book on law or politics. His several books deal with history, chieftaincy, culture and conflict in Dagbon. This is his first time of venturing into the politico-legal field. And he has done it well.
Even though the book is intended to tell the story of Ghana’s 2012 presidential election petition, it equally deals with the politics of Ghana and the country’s electoral laws. The book is therefore recommended not only for people who want to know the story of the election petition, but also to politicians and first year law students as well as people interested in law. The book will inspire them.
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Africa in Contemporary Perspective
An important feature of Ghanaian tertiary education is the foundational African Studies Programme which was initiated in the early 1960s. Unfortunately hardly any readers exist which bring together a body of knowledge on the themes, issues and debates which inform and animate research and teaching in African Studies particularly on the African continent.
This becomes even more important when we consider the need for knowledge on Africa that is not Eurocentric or sensationalised, but driven from internal understandings of life and prospects in Africa. Dominant representations and perceptions of Africa usually depict a continent in crisis. Rather than buying into external representations of Africa, with its ‘lacks’ and aspirations for Western modernities, we insist that African scholars in particular should be in the forefront of promoting understanding of the pluri-lingual, overlapping, and dense reality of life and developments on the continent, to produce relevant and usable knowledge.
Continuing and renewed interest in Africa’s resources, including the land mass, economy, minerals, visual arts and performance cultures, as well as bio-medical knowledge and products, by old and new geopolitical players, obliges African scholars to transcend disciplinary boundaries and to work with each other to advance knowledge and uses of those resources in the interests of Africa’s people.
₵110.00