Understanding Statutory ‘Regional management’ Functions and Assessing the Effectiveness of Regional Planning Management Practices in the Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

Provisions of section 146 of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) on statutory ‘Regional management’ functions are not easily understandable in terms of what this actually entails. However, in effect, elements of the provisions are wider than stated. It does take some harrowing through to grasp the details. Moreover, other regional management functions are ‘indirectly’ provided in the Local Government Service Act, 2003 (Act 656). Identifying and putting all these together creates a full picture of regional management functions. Another issue is related to the effectiveness of regional planning management, at all. This study aims at identifying and understanding the details of statutory regional management and assessing the effectiveness of regional planning management practices, using the Central Region as a case. The effort and exercise corroborate formal field interactions and interviews with a representative Development Planner of the Regional Planning Co-ordinating Unit (RPCU) of the Central Regional Co-ordinating Council (CRCC). The overall details are, then, seen in terms of formal and professional management knowledge and both the tacit and enacted knowledge refocused into four main dimensions of management: ‘planning’, ‘organising’, ‘leading’ and ‘controlling’ functions. Effectiveness of regional planning management practices in the Central Region is assessed in terms of these dimensions and the contextual meaning of ‘management’. A number of proposals are made for resolving or ameliorating identified constraints and challenges.

Keywords: Statutory Regional Management; Regional Planning Management Assessment; Regional Planning Management Effectiveness; Formal Management Knowledge; ‘Planning, ‘Organising’, ‘Leading’ and ‘Controlling’ Management Functions.