Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2016 Exploring Ghana's Strategies for Stability:Lessons for Postwar Reconstruction Wilmot Nah Adekoya Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the African History Commons, African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, and the Public Policy Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Wilmot Adekoya has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Paul Rutledge, Committee Chairperson, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Raj Singh, Committee Member, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Tanya Settles, University Reviewer, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2016 Abstract Exploring Ghana’s Strategies for Stability: Lessons for Postwar Reconstruction in Liberia by Wilmot Nah Adekoya MS, Strayer University, 2005 BS, Strayer University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration with Homeland Security Coordination Walden University July 2016 Abstract Between 1990 and 2005, the state of affairs in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Liberia, remained fragile due to continuous civil unrest and war. Although peace initiatives were initiated, progress toward peace has remained minimal. Ghana, one of the nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, has continued to demonstrate significant stability and progress in the midst of civil and political conflicts in the sub-region. Currently, little research exists on how Ghanaians managed to remain stable, while countries in the sub- region continued to experience civil unrests and wars. Using Eisenstadt’s theory of sociological modernization as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this holistic case study sought to understand factors that have driven stability in Ghana. Data were collected from multiple sources including 15 research participants of diverse professions and perspectives, numerous pertinent documents, and field notes. All data were inductively coded and then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. Social change lessons extracted from the study linked to core findings include (a) Ghanaians demonstrate an understanding of the importance of both African and Western cultural experiences and integrating the experiences from both cultural sectors for national harmony, and (b) Ghanaians are pursuing a national development agenda through economic reforms, participatory democracy, and some level of equal distribution of the national wealth. The effectiveness of Ghana’s national development agenda is demonstrated by capacity building and the strengthening of social service programs not just in the urban sector, but also in the rural sector of Ghanaian society. These two core social change lessons could remain useful for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Exploring Ghana’s Strategies for Stability: Lessons for Postwar Reconstruction in Liberia by Wilmot N. Adekoya Sr. MS, Strayer University, 2005 BS, Strayer University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration with Homeland Security Coordination Walden University July 2016 Dedication I thank my beloved wife, Diana Mwate McCluney Adekoya, for her unconditional love, support, and encouragement. Special thanks to my children and siblings for their love. Above all, this dissertation is in loving memory of my late father, Thomas Adekoya, Sr., Uncle James Wreh Dargbe and the late Sister Rose Gabriel for the immense support they provided me. Acknowledgments Primarily, I would like to thank the Lord for his guidance and strength throughout my academic journey. There were times that I doubted the achieving of this dream. My sincere thanks go to my mother, Annie Dargbe Gbonyonoh Saytonneh, her late husband, David Dargbe Saytonneh, and my late uncle, James Wreh Dargbe. They were influential and supportive in raising and educating me. As a child, I was unaware that my mother was unlettered. Nevertheless, she was steadfast in raising five children following the premature death of our father, Thomas Adekoya, Sr., a Nigerian immigrant to Liberia. My mother always knew that obtaining a first class education was critical; she did not waver from that focus. As a market woman, which is the nomenclature for small-scaled businesspersons in Africa, Mother worked assiduously to ensure that her children attained the best education from the Catholic School System in the Republic of Liberia, West Africa. Today, that foundation Mother and Uncle Wreh Dargbe provided me paved the way for my future. For that, I am eternally grateful. On this academic journey, I was very fortunate to have met people who in diverse ways were extremely helpful. These people included my faculty and other academic staff. Specifically, I want to thank my dissertation committee comprising of Dr. Paul Rutledge, Dr. Raj Singh, Dr. Tanya Settles, and the Walden University faculty and staff for their academic and scholarly stewardship. Finally, I also thank all my interviewees and my editor. They worked with me and helped me keep hope alive. Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Background of the Study ...............................................................................................1 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................3 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................6 Research Questions ........................................................................................................7 Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks of the Study ..................................................8 Nature of the Study ......................................................................................................10 Definition of the Terms ................................................................................................12 Assumptions, Scope, Delimitation, and Limitations ...................................................14 Assumptions .......................................................................................................... 14 Scope and Delimitations ....................................................................................... 15 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 16 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................17 Summary ......................................................................................................................17 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................19 Introduction ..................................................................................................................19 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................20 Conflicts and Stability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa ..........................................20 Military Intervention in Domestic African Politics .............................................. 29 Leaderships in Emerging States ...................................................................................35 i Ghana at the Crossroads: The Rawlings Era................................................................39 Stability and Strategies for Growth: The Kufuor Era ........................................... 45 Capacity Building: The Atta-Mills Era ................................................................. 54 Capacity Building for a Stable Ghana between 1990 and 2005 ........................... 60 Summary ......................................................................................................................66 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................69 Introduction ..................................................................................................................69 Research Questions ......................................................................................................70 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................71 Population and Sample