Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana
Ghana's version of MPs Constituency Project Fund is a component of the District Assemblies Common Fund, introduced in 1993. Since its introduction however, no steps have been taken to ensure efficient use of the fund, thus justifying assertions that it is often used as a tool for rent-seeking a...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291124001700 |
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| author | Kenneth Felitse Isaac Owusu-Mensah |
| author_facet | Kenneth Felitse Isaac Owusu-Mensah |
| author_sort | Kenneth Felitse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ghana's version of MPs Constituency Project Fund is a component of the District Assemblies Common Fund, introduced in 1993. Since its introduction however, no steps have been taken to ensure efficient use of the fund, thus justifying assertions that it is often used as a tool for rent-seeking and perpetuating clientelist relationships. This paper examined how MPs in selected constituencies in Ghana used the fund between 2013 and 2016, and what impact the expenditure had on their performances in the 2016 parliamentary elections. It was found that the MPs were more inclined towards spending their constituency project fund on the personal needs of constituents. However, the findings do not show that the expenditure of the MPsCPF has a significant impact on electoral fortunes of an incumbent MP. While shedding light on an aspect of Ghanaian voter behavior, the study highlights the clientelist motivations underpinning legislative spending in Ghana and emphasizes the need for appropriate laws to regulate the use of the MPsCPF, and empowering the local government system to perform its functions effectively. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fec78e04cc0a4587a0c8e9e33cc49cc6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2590-2911 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-fec78e04cc0a4587a0c8e9e33cc49cc62024-11-21T06:05:36ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112024-01-0110100973Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in GhanaKenneth Felitse0Isaac Owusu-Mensah1Department of Public Administration, University of Ghana Business School, Legon, Ghana; Corresponding author.Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaGhana's version of MPs Constituency Project Fund is a component of the District Assemblies Common Fund, introduced in 1993. Since its introduction however, no steps have been taken to ensure efficient use of the fund, thus justifying assertions that it is often used as a tool for rent-seeking and perpetuating clientelist relationships. This paper examined how MPs in selected constituencies in Ghana used the fund between 2013 and 2016, and what impact the expenditure had on their performances in the 2016 parliamentary elections. It was found that the MPs were more inclined towards spending their constituency project fund on the personal needs of constituents. However, the findings do not show that the expenditure of the MPsCPF has a significant impact on electoral fortunes of an incumbent MP. While shedding light on an aspect of Ghanaian voter behavior, the study highlights the clientelist motivations underpinning legislative spending in Ghana and emphasizes the need for appropriate laws to regulate the use of the MPsCPF, and empowering the local government system to perform its functions effectively.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291124001700Member of parliamentCommon fundGovernment expenditureElectionPatron-client politics |
| spellingShingle | Kenneth Felitse Isaac Owusu-Mensah Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana Social Sciences and Humanities Open Member of parliament Common fund Government expenditure Election Patron-client politics |
| title | Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana |
| title_full | Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana |
| title_short | Who spends what, and why? The constituency project fund and electoral politics in Ghana |
| title_sort | who spends what and why the constituency project fund and electoral politics in ghana |
| topic | Member of parliament Common fund Government expenditure Election Patron-client politics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291124001700 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kennethfelitse whospendswhatandwhytheconstituencyprojectfundandelectoralpoliticsinghana AT isaacowusumensah whospendswhatandwhytheconstituencyprojectfundandelectoralpoliticsinghana |