Poverty is a well-known canker in Africa, the West African sub-region and Ghana as a unit. The concept is defined by the inability to meet the minimum requirements for optimum livelihood and good standard of living. Access to credit facilities and basic financial services in all parts of a nation (both rural and urban) is essential for business development, entrepreneurship as well as smoothing consumption amidst economic shocks. The Microfinance and Small Loans Center (MASLOC) is a state age...
The study explored women farmers’ access to agricultural lands and soil fertility management practices in a mixed patrilineal and matrilineal society in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. Women in Ghana including those in the Wa West District living in either separate or mixed patrilineal and matrilineal societies are faced with male domination with regards to decision making and hence women insecurity of tenure to farm land. So, the study used the Theory of Patriarchy,...
Ghana has witnessed significant democratic progress over the past two decades with remarkable success in the country’s electoral history. Regardless of the achievements in the consolidation of democracy, elections in Ghana are invariably plagued by localized violence that threatens the peace, security and stability of the country. The aim of this study was to investigate electoral violence and socio-economic development of the Jirapa Municipality. The research design was cross sectional app...
This study explored the motivations, processes, sustainability factors and challenges involved in the establishment and operations of Land Management Committees (LMCs) within the framework of collaborative governance in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Using an exploratory multiple case study research design with purposive sampling technique, the study interviewed 28 key informants and conducted four Focus Group Discussions. The data were analyzed thematically. The study found the motivations ...
The electoral process in Ghana is proving to be a tough challenge for the sustenance of multi-party democracy. This thesis investigates the obstacles militating against the electoral process in a multi-party state system in Ghana with special reference to Wa Municipality in the Upper West Region. The objective is to examine the obstacles militating against popular participation in the electoral process within the Wa Central Constituency. The study adapted a case study approach which involved ...
Composite budgeting is an essential requirement for the effectiveness of decentralised governance. The study examined composite budgeting in North Gonja, Kumbungu and Sagnarigu Municipal Assemblies in the Savannah and Northern Regions of Ghana. A multiple case design involving interviews with thirty –six (36) participants using semi-structured interview guide was used for the study. Purposive sampling was used to select Municipal and Districts Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers, Budg...
Abstract/Overview Opinions are important in raising public awareness and assessing government on development issues. Understanding opinion of the electorates is a critical aspect for political success and service delivery. The objective of this study was to conduct a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of recurring themes from opinions on Kenya’s Jubilee Government’s performance from local digital dailies between April 2013 and December 2015. Opinions in local digital dailies have conti...
Abstract/Overview The role of local government institution and especially institutional structures and political culture often shape government performance including livelihood supporting activities such as Urban Agriculture (UA). The changing population pattern orchestrated by the spread of urbanization has resulted into a rise in poverty and food demand, necessitating UA. However, there seem to be limited documentation with regard to how local governance institutions influence and promo...
Abstract: The President of Kenya, in January 2014, announced that infrastructure development would be used as the major drive to achieve economic growth during the tenure of his presidency. A notable part of the statement by the President is the requirement that the policy would involve very significant public expenditure on infrastructure. In that context, this study undertook a causality analysis between infrastructure expenditure and economic growth and labor was introduced into the frame...
Abstract Leadership and governance are crucial to planning and implementing how society use their natural resources for long term sustainable benefit, evaluating outcomes, and the shifts and corrections needed. By their very nature, they operate in a political and socio-economic context, and outcomes depend on political and social acceptance of objectives and their operational forms. This, in turn, enhances the mobilization of resources and their application to achieve set goals. They are ...
Economic shocks do not only threaten people's lives but also their future livelihoods. To move ahead and address these shocks involve understanding how different sectors of the economy can be improved upon sustainably to achieve economic prosperity. Investment in agriculture provides a roadmap for creating a resilient Nigerian economy. A proper understanding of the uncertainties faced by the Agricultural sector and effective strategies to manage these uncertainties is vital to creating a...
Chiri (2017) described Zimbabwe’s state enterprises and parastatals (SEPs) as a burden to the fiscus. The article seeks to determine the effect of board member experience and age on profitability and efficiency of SEPs, respectively, as there has been little research, particularly in emerging markets. A positivist paradigm was adopted using a cross-sectional survey. The target population of the study consisted of all SEPs totalling 107 from which a sample of 20 SEPs was selected from the cl...
ABSTRACT: Since the abrupt interruption of the indigenous systems of governance, it can be argued that the superior model of governance introduced by the colonialists has failed to achieve sustainable evidence of good governance for the citizens of Nigeria. This colonial tendency was passed on to the post-independence era even to the present day democratic federal system of government. Governance is important in determining institutional norms and structures; it provides the guide to how coun...
Abstract Tanzania has embarked on several radical measures to restructure its economy and governance structures, including local governments. For more than four decades, Tanzania has been striving relentlessly for effective decentralisation measures, yet the progress has been slow. The country has passed through several phases of decentralisation, with each phase inheriting some criticised characteristics that have been difficult to dismantle in the successive phases. For example, previously...
Humanitarian organizations have been in the forefront meeting the needs of the people in rebuilding the social institutions like schools, hospitals, roads and provision of emergency food services to famine-stricken population of the country. The study sought to determine the contribution of humanitarian organizations towards cohesion of the communities with a focus of Pageri County in Southern Sudan. The specific objectives that guided this study were to establish the nature of programs under...