UNITS 4-6
URBAN GOVERNANCE
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Unit 4:
Actors (Stakeholders)
in Settlement Growth
and Management
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The Settlement Planning
Arena
A High-stakes Game
Berke, Godschalk and Kaiser (2006) describe
settlement planning and management as a
“high-stakes game”. What do the authors
mean by that?
Multiplicity of interests/values and
stakeholders
There are narrow interests vs. public
interests
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The Settlement Planning
Arena
The Game Players:
Who are the “game players” in the
settlement planning and management
arena?
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The Settlement Planning
Arena
The Game Players:
Government (political leaders + technocrats)
Land owners (traditional authorities, families,
individuals, etc)
Businesses (estate developers, industrial and
commercial entities, etc)
Citizens/residents, etc, etc
What are the interests of these different
players (actors/stakeholders)?
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The Settlement Planning
Arena
Competition and Cooperation
Why would you describe the settlement
planning process as a game of
“competition and cooperation”?
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The Settlement Planning
Arena
The Role of the Planner
What is the role of the planner in the
game? Does he have one role?
Why would you say the planner is
One of the game players?
A rule setter?
A neutral mediator?
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Units 5-6:
Urban Management in
the Context of
Decentralization and
Local Governance in
Ghana
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Decentralization
What is Decentralization?
Transfer of political, administrative, planning
and fiscal authority and responsibilities from
central government to local government units
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Decentralization
What is the Rationale for Decentralization?
Failure of centralized systems to deliver
efficiently
Decentralization has the potential to ensure a
more equitable distribution of resources
It is part of the good governance/
democratization agenda
It is supposed to engender popular
participation in decision-making
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Overview of Ghana’s
Decentralization Policy
Some Key Features:
Re-demarcation of administrative
jurisdictions (districts)
Establishment of Metropolitan, Municipal
and District Assemblies
Establishment of sub-district structures
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Overview of Ghana’s
Decentralization Policy
Some Key Features (cont.):
Restructuring of resource allocation and
resource sharing b/n central and local govts
E.g. District Assemblies Common Fund
Land rates and minerals royalties
Grants and transfers
External credits
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Overview of Ghana’s
Decentralization Policy
Some Key Features (cont.):
Participation of Non-State Actors
business entities
NGOs
CBOs
Other CSOs
MLGRD responsible for implementing the
decentralisation policy
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Overview of Ghana’s
Decentralization Policy
Main Components of Ghana’s
Decentralization Policy
Political decentralisation
Administrative Decentralisation
Decentralized Development Planning
Fiscal decentralization
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A. Political Decentralisation
 Re-demarcation of the country into districts
 Establishment and empowerment of the
RCCs, MMDAs & the Sub-District Structures
to perform various functions
 Establishment of the MMDAs as legislative,
administrative, planning, service delivery,
budgeting and rating authorities
 Sub-district structures to facilitate resource
mobilization and popular participation
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B. Administrative Decentralisation
Restructuring of ministerial institutions and
transferring defined functions, powers and resources
to local govts
Integration of sectorial programmes, resources and
assets into the Assembly system
Restructuring of 22 depts into 16, 13 and 11 depts
under the Metropolitan, Municipal and District
Assemblies respectively
Passage of a Local Govt Service Act to bring all
employees of the MMDAs into the public service.
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C. Decentralised
Development Planning
A bottom-up, integrated and participatory
development planning system.
Planning at district, sub-district and sectorial levels
coordinated by the DPCU
RPCUs responsible for harmonising and
synchronising district plans based on national policy
framework and guidelines issued by NDPC
Development of service centres and rational, efficient
and sustainable settlement and land use patterns
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D. Fiscal Decentralisation
Meant to enhance the Assemblies’ access to
resources
Creation of DACF , allocated based on a
formula prepared by the Administrator of
DACF and approved by Parliament
Establishment of ‘MPs Common Fund’
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D. Fiscal Decentralisation
Ceding of income tax payable by informal sector
operators, vehicle operators, and betting,
entertainment and advertising companies to the
MMDAs.
IGF sources of the MMDAs: user fees, rates (basic
and property), licenses, investment incomes,
loans/overdrafts, etc
Submission of MMDA budget to the RCCs for
harmonization, co-ordination and collation and
approval of by Min. of Finance
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The New Local Gov’t System
 .
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Functions of DAs
Three Broad Functions:
Deliberative Function
Legislative Function
Executive Function
86 Specific Functions
See handout
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Challenges of the New Local
Gov’t & Planning Systems
Has Ghana’s New Local
Government/ Decentralized
Planning System worked as
expected?
If no, what are the challenges/
problems associated with it?
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Challenges of the New Local
Gov’t & Planning Systems
Excessive control by central government
Lack of coordination and integration of planning
activities by various departments/ agencies
Emphasis on socio-economic development
planning and marginalization of physical planning
Sub-standard, disjointed and atomistic land use
plans prepared by quacks contracted by
customary land owners
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Challenges of the New Local
Gov’t & Planning Systems
Non-enforcement of planning schemes and
standards:
Lack of political will
Low capacity of DAs
Corruption among some public officials
Abuse of re-zoning provisions
General disregard for planning and orderly
development, etc
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