Improving collaboration between traditional and local government authorities for development in the Central region of Ghana

Abstract

Ghana is still battling with a dual governance system nearly 60 years after attaining independence. The situation has resulted in misunderstandings and claims of superiority of authority between state officialdom and traditional rulers which derail local development efforts. The study set out to explore ways of integrating traditional authority with the local government system of governance. The Central Region was selected and categorised into three types of paramountcies within the jurisdiction of four Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The mixed method approach guided the study and a total of 658 respondents and discussants were sampled using both probability and non-probability sampling procedures. The new institutional, subsidiarity, modernisation, endogenous and the interactive governance theories were used to explain the tradition-modernity debate within the broader context of local level development. The study found that traditional authorities would like to be integrated into the local government system. This meant improving collaboration in all important deliberations such as serving as chairpersons on all relevant sub-committees of the District Assemblies. TAs felt that their direct involvement would be more beneficial to their people because they would be in a better position to press home the demands of their people and thereby avoid any possible conflict between the TAs and the District Assemblies. The study recommends that collaboration of the two authorities would require a more concerted effort on consultations and the amendment of the Chieftaincy Act 651 by Parliament with the view to introducing District House of Chiefs in consonance with the decentralised system of governance in the country.