Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana

The decentralised local government system makes funds available to local governments to develop the communities and improve living conditions of the people. In Ghana, however, the people in the communities complain of poor service delivery including the provision of poor amenities. This deprives the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anthony Aikins, John Mensah, Augustina Amissah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mashhad: Behzad Hassannezhad Kashani 2024-12-01
Series:International Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ijmae.com/article_210437_703075e3407c5ef02a4cc5f845f3bec9.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841545230604566528
author Anthony Aikins
John Mensah
Augustina Amissah
author_facet Anthony Aikins
John Mensah
Augustina Amissah
author_sort Anthony Aikins
collection DOAJ
description The decentralised local government system makes funds available to local governments to develop the communities and improve living conditions of the people. In Ghana, however, the people in the communities complain of poor service delivery including the provision of poor amenities. This deprives them of decent livelihood and there is despondency at the local level. This study investigated the situation by examining the operations of local governments to ascertain the management of resources at the local level. Using the transaction cost theory and the institutional theory, desk research was conducted based on successive Auditor-Generals’ reports and other relevant documents on local governance in Ghana. The data were subjected to thematic analysis for interpretation and comparison. The study found that the local governments performed their basic functions but successive Auditor-Generals’ reports contained irregularities which were the result of mismanagement of resources. The management of resources in local governments is, therefore, a bane rather than a boon to development at the local level in Ghana. The Head of Local Government Service should severely sanction perpetrators of irregularities.
format Article
id doaj-art-c815105024f247b9bba6bc9ac9e31b83
institution Kabale University
issn 2383-2126
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Mashhad: Behzad Hassannezhad Kashani
record_format Article
series International Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics
spelling doaj-art-c815105024f247b9bba6bc9ac9e31b832025-01-12T08:07:51ZengMashhad: Behzad Hassannezhad KashaniInternational Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics2383-21262024-12-0111121757177910.5281/zenodo.14561916210437Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in GhanaAnthony Aikins0John Mensah1Augustina Amissah2Management Consulting, Rigour Consult, Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Governance, Environment and Sustainable Development University of Cape Coast, Cape Coas, GhanaVocational and Technical Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaThe decentralised local government system makes funds available to local governments to develop the communities and improve living conditions of the people. In Ghana, however, the people in the communities complain of poor service delivery including the provision of poor amenities. This deprives them of decent livelihood and there is despondency at the local level. This study investigated the situation by examining the operations of local governments to ascertain the management of resources at the local level. Using the transaction cost theory and the institutional theory, desk research was conducted based on successive Auditor-Generals’ reports and other relevant documents on local governance in Ghana. The data were subjected to thematic analysis for interpretation and comparison. The study found that the local governments performed their basic functions but successive Auditor-Generals’ reports contained irregularities which were the result of mismanagement of resources. The management of resources in local governments is, therefore, a bane rather than a boon to development at the local level in Ghana. The Head of Local Government Service should severely sanction perpetrators of irregularities.https://www.ijmae.com/article_210437_703075e3407c5ef02a4cc5f845f3bec9.pdfcommunitiesdecentralised local government systemlocal governmentsmanagement of resourcesoperations of local governmentsservice delivery
spellingShingle Anthony Aikins
John Mensah
Augustina Amissah
Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
International Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics
communities
decentralised local government system
local governments
management of resources
operations of local governments
service delivery
title Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
title_full Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
title_fullStr Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
title_short Resource Management in Local Governments: A Bane or a Boon to Development at the Local Level in Ghana
title_sort resource management in local governments a bane or a boon to development at the local level in ghana
topic communities
decentralised local government system
local governments
management of resources
operations of local governments
service delivery
url https://www.ijmae.com/article_210437_703075e3407c5ef02a4cc5f845f3bec9.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT anthonyaikins resourcemanagementinlocalgovernmentsabaneoraboontodevelopmentatthelocallevelinghana
AT johnmensah resourcemanagementinlocalgovernmentsabaneoraboontodevelopmentatthelocallevelinghana
AT augustinaamissah resourcemanagementinlocalgovernmentsabaneoraboontodevelopmentatthelocallevelinghana