REPORT ON EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORK FOR WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA TRANSNATIONAL RESEARCH ON DECENTRALIZATION IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: LEARNING FROM LOCAL AND INTERSECTORAL EXPERIENCES - THE CASE OF GHANA. By James A. Opare (University of Cape Coast, Ghana) Godwin R. K. Egbenya (University of Cape Coast, Ghana) Margaret Kaba (Ministry of Education, Ghana) ROCARE / ERNWACA • Tel: (223) 20 21 16 12, Fax: (223) 20 21 21 15 • BP E 1854, Bamako, MALI Bénin • Burkina Faso • Cameroun• Congo • Côte d’Ivoire • Gambia • Ghana • Guinée • Mali • Mauritanie • Niger • Nigeria • Sénégal • Sierra Leone • République Centrafricaine • Togo www.rocare.org/ www.ernwaca.org EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The study aimed at finding out manifestations of the effectiveness of decentralization in the areas under study, as well as whether human and material resources have been transferred from the national to the district and local levels, and whether these resources have been put to use effectively. Another aim was to find out the level of integration / synergy among the four sectors (education, health, water and electricity) at the national, district and local levels. It also aimed at finding out the extent to which social services delivery policies have led to the reduction of gender disparities and promotion of leadership among females. Finally the study aimed at finding out the factors that led government to adopt the decentralization policy. Decentralization which could be political, administrative, fiscal or market focused is vital for improving national and local governance. Although decentralization can play very important roles in broadening participation in political, economic and social activities in developing countries, it may not unless it entails a mixture of all the three types: political, fiscal and administrative (Manor, 1999). Decentralization has the potential of reducing bottlenecks in bureaucracy, enhancing public accountability and tailoring development plans to particular needs. Case studies on decentralization in some developing countries such as Nicaragua, Senegal among others, show that decentralization has made it possible for local government actors to be involved in key features of development. Additionally, the history of decentralization in some African countries shows that until the mid 1980’s, there was not any clear cut distinction between the state and its political structures. However, the 1990’s saw the end of a centralized state model, and the emergence of decentralized structures. Attempts at local administration in Ghana started during the colonial era when the native authorities were involved in local governance. This system of indirect rule was designed to enable the British colonial government to be less and less directly involved in local administration. Realizing the importance of decentralization in governance, the government of Ghana in 1988 put in place a decentralized programme based on governance values such as empowerment, equity, accountability among others. In much the same way, the 1992 constitution also prescribed among other things, that functions, powers, responsibilities and resources should be transferred from the central government to the local government units to facilitate local governance.. What is critical to explore is whether or not decentralization has been able to reduce congestion and over concentration of power in the nation’s capital. It is imperative, therefore, to evaluate the formulation and implementation of the policy as related to the education, health, water and electricity sectors of the country. This research hopes to make a modest contribution to the literature on decentralization in Africa and as well present the current state of affairs in Ghana. To this end the case study approach was adopted using questionnaires, interview guides and focused group discussions as instruments for gathering data. All stakeholders of decentralization in the education, health, water and electricity sectors constituted the target group. Two districts from each of the following regions were selected as sites for the study: Northern region, Ashanti region and Greater Accra region. The purposive sampling technique was used. This report is presented in 5 chapters. Chapter one is the introduction, the review of the literature is treated in chapters 2 while chapter 3 is devoted to the methodology employed. Chapter 4 presents the results and discussion, while the summary of findings, conclusions drawn and recommendations made are presented in chapter 5. Summary of findings and Conclusion From the data some manifestations or indications of the effectiveness of the decentralization exercise have been noticed. Data from the headquarters of all the sectors (Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Water and Housing and Ghana Water Company, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Health), indicate an established framework (written or unwritten) for the implementation of the decentralization process premised on national laws and Policies (1992 Constitution; Ghana Republic 1988: 1994). However, a stark reality is that not enough power has devolved on the districts; financial resources and human resources in their right quantitative and qualitative relationships are still inadequate. There is also a disappointingly slow process of human resource and infrastructural development. All these lapses prevent the effective implementation of the decentralization policy. It is evident that decisions in the education, water, health and electricity sectors are made at the national and district levels. In the case of the water and electricity sectors decisions are additionally made at the local community levels. Decisions in the education and health sectors made involve posting of teachers, formulation of work place policies, building of school blocks, transfer of teachers and administrative staff. The decisions also involve monitoring the effectiveness of teaching/learning, health care accessibility, the conduct of health education, siting of health posts, and posting of nurses to the rural areas. Others are provision of water resources, management of potable drinking water, distribution of water facilities and distribution of electricity to the places where it is needed. The only attempt to decentralize electricity services has been through the self-help electricity programmes in the communities. On the whole it appears that decentralization of decision making in the regions and districts has been far more effective in administrative decentralization but far less effective in fiscal decentralization. It is thus an indication of dispersal of decision making to the substructures of government without the needed corresponding dispersal of financial resources and infrastructure. It is evident that efforts have been made to transfer experts: teachers, nurses, doctors and technicians to render services in the districts and local communities. There is also some evidence that the decentralization policy is being pursued in the districts through the provision of educational, health, water and electricity facilities. Nonetheless, the pace of provision of adequate and good quality facilities in all the communities is somewhat slow. Many communities have schools and kindergartens but hardly any libraries. There are more clinics and health posts than hospitals in all the communities studied. The communities have water facilities like pipe borne water, boreholes and wells. They have electricity in the communities but the remote parts of the districts are not connected to the national grid. Children pay for the use of some facilities in the school: these include fees for printing examination papers, fees for building projects, and textbooks user fee. However, the capitation grant or the abolition of school fees absorbs virtually all payments. Those who are not covered by the NHIS pay for the health services offered them. They also pay for the use of water and electricity. As to the specific positive changes that have occurred in their lives as a result of the introduction of NHIS respondents are of the feeling that the pressure on them to get money before they are treated at the hospital has reduced and as a result, money for paying hospital bills are now used for other purposes. Now they can access health regardless of whether they have money or not. As to the specific positive changes that have occurred in their lives as a result of the introduction of free maternal health care most of the respondents feel that mothers go to the hospital free of charge, and so do not suffer so much during pregnancy. As a result more pregnant women can now access health care, with the result that maternal deaths have reduced. The specific positive changes that have occurred in their lives as a result of the provision of water in the community include not going far away for water and prevention of the guinea worm disease. The provision of electricity in the communities has also enabled them to use electrical gadgets such as radio, television and fridges. It has also enabled them preserve their drinks and food items. They can go about their business even at night. Above all they can study even at night. One important observation is that human and some non-human resources have been posted to the communities to provide services. However, it was noted that there is widespread dissatisfaction with salary levels, accommodation and some basic social amenities. Unless or until these problems are tackled in some way, the experts may go away