Hoffman, B.D. and K. M. Metzroth (2010) The Political Economy of Decentralisation in Ghana

Ghana’s reviewed decentralization policy is likely to bring about incremental rather than transformational change. In the authors’ view, extensive decentralisation would be likely to exacerbate problems rather than solve them.

The authors argue that wide-ranging decentralisation can only improve local government significantly if the central government is able to solve difficult challenges surrounding administration and finance at the local level, national unity, and the inclusion of traditional authorities in local government beforehand. As long as this is not the case, it is not evident that far‐reaching decentralization would make local government more democratic and/or effective. Instead, the government’s more cautious approach to decentralization has considerable merit. The authors warn that donors should not put pressure on the government to adopt more significant reforms at this stage.