Participation and Accountability in Local Governance in Emerging Democracies: The Debate between Elections and Appointments to the District Assemblies in Ghana.

Abstract

In many developing countries, ongoing decentralization reforms are promoting changes in governance structures that are reshaping the relationship between local governments and citizens. The success of these decentralization reforms will depend on active citizen participation, the ability to hold public officers accountable for their decisions, sound financial management and the provision of desired basic services. This paper focuses on popular elections as a critical tool in ensuring citizen participation and in holding local government political officeholders accountable for their actions. The research gathered empirical data through discussions and interviews from selected districts on stakeholders’ participation and their perceptions of downward accountability of political officeholders in local governance. The study revealed that contrary to the mainstream view that lack of downward accountability of local government leadership was due to their non-elective nature and that adopting the ‘elective principle’ would ensure this, was not borne out of the facts on the ground as those of them who hold elective offices have not been shown to be accountable to the electorate who elected them. The paper adduced empirical evidence to demonstrate that the appointments of the District Chief Executives (DCEs) and 30% Assembly members (AMs) have been made a scapegoat for the lack of citizen participation and downward political accountability of leaders in the local governance process and concludes that selecting public officeholders wholly through the ballot box though necessary, could be a deficient policy in enhancing local development in an emerging economy like Ghana. Development and accountability strategies will be most effective when they are cumulative and combined. Thus, a mix of appointments and indirect and direct elections of officeholders can be the best approach to enhance effective service delivery, development and accountability in the district assemblies.

Keywords: Participation and Accountability, District Assemblies (DAs), Emerging Democracies, Assembly members, District Chief Executives.