DECENTRALIZATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY AND GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT IN LIBERIA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content                                                                                                Page

Title page                                                                                                                    i

Certification                                                                                                                ii

Dedication                                                                                                                  iii

Acknowledgements                                                                                                    iv

Abstract                                                                                                                      vi

Table of Contents                                                                                                       ix

List of Tables                                                                                                              x

List of Figures

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

  1. Background to the Study                                                                       1
  2. Statement of the Problem                                                                            3
  3. Objectives of the Study                                                          4
  4. Research Questions                                                                            4
  5. Justification of the Study                                                                    5
  6. Scope of the Study                                                                               5
  7. Operational Definitions of Key Terms                                    6
  8. Plan of Work                                                                                      7

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 2.0 Introduction                                                                                                         8 2.1 The Concept of Decentralization                                                              8

2.1.1 Kinds of Decentralization                                                                               9

2.1.2 African Perspectives of Decentralization                                     12

2.1.3 Growing Trend Toward Decentralization                                     12

2.2 Liberia and the Centralized Problem                                                               13 2.3 Discussion of the Liberia Decentralization Policy                     14

2.4 Necessity for Decentralization in Modern Governance                  17

2.4.1 Arguments for and against Decentralization                                        18  2.4.2 Potential Benefits of Decentralization                                        19

2.5 Local Government                                                                     20

2.5.1 Imperatives of Local Government                                                                     21 2.5.2 The Establishment of Liberia and Local Government                  22

2.5.3 Legal Framework for Local Government in Liberia              23

2.5.4 Local Governance                                                                    24

2.6 Local Government Autonomy                                                 24

2.6.1 Local Government Autonomy and Decentralization         25

2.7 The Concept of Development                                                                               25 2.7.1 Grassroots/Rural Development                            26

2.7.2 Grassroots Development and Decentralization                       27

2.8 Theoretical Framework                                                                 28

2.8.1 Application of the Theories                                                          29

 2.9 Gap (s) in Literature                                                                      30

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

 3.0 Introduction                                                                                           32

 3.1 Research Design                                                                                    32

 3.2 Population                                                                                                32

 3.3 Sample Size and Sampling Technique                                      33

3.4 Method of Data Collection                                                               35

 3.5 Sources of Data                                                                                                   35

 3.6 Instrument of the Study                                                                           35

 3.7 Reliability of the Instrument                                                                   36

 3.8 Validity of the Instrument                                                                     36

 3.9 Method of DataAnalysis                                                                      37

 3.01 Ethical Consideration                                                                          37

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS

AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

 4.0 Introduction                                                                                             38

 4.1 Demographic Profile                                                                             38

4.2 Objective One                                                                                           43

4.3 Objective Two                                                                                 47

4.4 Objective Three                                                                                     50

4.4 Objective Four                                                                                                      52

 4.5 Discussion of Findings                                                                            54

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION

AND RECOMMENDATION

 5.1 Summary                                                                                                              59

 5.2 Conclusion                                                                                                           60

 5.3 Recommendations                                                                               60

 5.4 Contribution to Knowledge                                                               61

 5.5 Limitation of the Study                                                                          62

 5.6 Suggestion for Further Studies                                                            62

REFERENCES                                                                                                        63

APPENDICES                                                                                                          69

LIST OF TABLES

Table                                                                                         Page

3.1 Population of Study                                                                                  33

3.2 Sample Size Distribution                                                                        34

3.3 Cronbach Alpha                                                                                                    36 4.1.1 Counties of Origin                                                                    38

4.1.2 Gender of Respondents                                                                       39

4.1.3 Ages of Respondents                                                                             40

4.1.4 Marital Status of Respondents                                                          41

4.1.5 Educational Qualification of Respondents                                        41

4.2 Administrative System of Liberia is centralized                    42

4.2.1 Centralization Impedes Development                                                     43

4.2.2 Lack of Developmental Initiative                                                             43

4.2.3 Respondents View on Political Participation is Low                 44

4.2.4 Liberia has been Branded ‘Underdeveloped’                 45

4.2.5 Local Dwellers Depend on Government                                      45

4.2.6 Centralization Overburdens Government                             46

4.3 County Development Agenda is a good framework          46

4.3.1 Local Service Centers Brings Development                       47

4.3.2 Establishment of Ministries Agencies and Commissions              47

4.3.3 Lack of Professionals at the Local Level                                           48

4.3.4 Willingness of Central Government to Relinquish Power             48

4.4.1 Government is efficient and Responsive to Local Needs                  49

4.4.2 Decentralization Allow Fiscal, Political and Admin. Autonomy      50

4.4.3 Decentralization Allows Government Accountability                  50

4.4.4 Decentralization Stimulates Economic Growth                        51

4.4.5 Service Delivery and Economic Growth Accompany Decentralization     51

4.5.1 Draft Local Government Allow Full Devolution                           52

4.5.2 Government is willing to Give Power to Local Authorities     52

4.5.3 Political Commitment to Grant Local Autonomy             53

4.5.4 Quality of Development is Improved with Local Capacity         53

4.5.5 Empowerment of Locals to Participate Yields Positive Result      54

4.5.6 Opportunities for Grassroots Development are Increased            54

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure                                                         Page

 4.1 County of Work                                                                                                   39

 4.2 Gender of Respondents                                                                       40

 4.3 Ages of Respondents                                                                          41

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  • Background to the Study

Decentralization as a concept is not completely new to Africa; but rather, it has adopted diverse strategies. English speaking and French Speaking African nations have seen various pre-and post-war decentralizations. After independence, governments across Africa kept on utilizing governments at the local levels as administrative units, and significant elements of local governments, for example, basic healthcare, construction of roads, education and local revenue collection were shifted toward central government control (Gbartea, 2011).

Kiwanuka (2012) believes that African nations have additionally capitulated to the expanding wave of cities and metropolitans. Some dominant elites groups in Africa, for example, the Americo-Liberian in Liberia embraced decentralization as a means to bargain with local elites with secessionist tendencies, and as a remedy for political instability. Nations began truly considering decentralization as an option after the manifest disappointments resulting from centralized economic planning in the 1970’s. Although there was no confirmation that decentralization would succeed, there were adequate information demonstrating that the centralized system of governance had failed (Awortwi, 2010). As Mookherjee (2006) observes, the primary reason for embarking upon decentralization is that transfer of some central government powers, assets, duties, and responsibility to lower tiers empowers local institutions and associations to engage in more successful self-administration and improvement suitable to local conditions.

The historical backdrop of modern local government systems in developing nations, including Liberia, is stacked with experimentation. There have been purposeful endeavors to modernize; however, tradition is still profoundly established (Ekpe, 2007). Some eminent issues confronting local government systems in developing nations with Liberia not an exemption include, but rather are not restricted to, basic dysfunctionality, absence of acceptable and ideal structure, capacities and duties. At the point when these are tended to, local government could be receptive to the necessities of the rural citizens who make up a large number of the populace in the developing countries (Ekpe, Ekpe, and Daniels, 2013).

The Liberian Local Government system is exceptional when contrasted with different countries in West Africa. Local Government authorities, generally, are designated by the central government, and have no characterized powers and capacities. All choices with respect to development projects and use of money are made at the central, and the local governments are compelled to do the bidding of the central government (Gbartea, 2011). The 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia gives the President the exclusive authority to appoint county administrators and other local authorities (Article 54 Sec D). The Constitution additionally states in Article 56 (A) that every single such authority appointed by the President holds office at the pleasure and will of that President. This obviously has been the pattern of administration in Liberia since the 1986 Constitution came into existence. Authorities of government work at the will of the President and are not responsible to the general population even at the local sub-units (Gbala, 2004).

The process of decentralization in Liberia began as far back as the later phase of the nineteenth century. In 1880, G.W. Gibson outlined a plan by which full citizenship would extend to aboriginal groups in return for an increased production of agricultural commodities. However, the coming of Arthur Barclay to the presidency of Liberia in 1904 is by and large considered a defining moment in Liberian politics; since it denoted the start of a deliberate, official strategy to build up a hinterland administration grounded on the British principle of indirect rule. Barclay formally established the principle of recognizing the pre-existing indigenous power structures (or rather, what “Americo-Liberians” took for indigenous power structures) and controlling through powerful families of local political groups. He imposed a uniform system of administration through a two-layered system of “Paramount Chiefs” and “Town Chiefs” on the hinterland (Gerdes, 2013).

Afterward, President William V.S. Tubman in 1948 promulgated the Unification Policy which was adapted towards integrating the hinterland. His endeavors can, to a significant degree, be traced to the way that Tubman, brought up in Maryland County, was relatively untouched by the Monrovia establishment and in part turned to less powerful groups with a specific end goal to build a voting public (Pham, 2004).

Immediately following President Johnson- Sirleaf ascendency in 2006, the President’s administration started sweeping changes geared toward the consolidation of peace and the establishment of a legal framework simultaneously that would set the basis for a decentralized system of government. Amongst her first acts as President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf repositioned the Governance Reform Commission (GRC) which was a brainchild of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Accra, Ghana, which was geared toward promoting good governance and instituting public sector management reforms. Executive Order Number 2, issued March 6, 2006 changed the GRC into the Governance Commission (GC) authorized to finalize and actualize blue print giving alternatives to political, social and economic decentralization (USAID, 2012).

In any case, the return to civilian democratic leadership in Liberia was an initial step to bringing sustainable change. The first post- war government through  an initiative of the  President introduced programs and decision-making processes geared toward empowering local citizens to take interest in electing county officials, and managing local development. This process could be enhanced, and will engender adequate local participation in making decision at the local level (Nyei, 2011).

Alongside the draft Local Government Act of 2013, the decentralization process will concede political, fiscal, administrative and economic autonomy to the counties; this will induce sufficient participation in basic leadership at the local level, allowing local ownership of development activities.

1.2Statement of the Problem

In line with the current global trend of streamlining the role of the state, the governments of most developing countries including Liberia  have devolved power to grassroots institutions with a view to enhance development. Grassroots development is very essential to the overall development of any country. It is intended to bring development closer to the people and enhance local participation in the governance process of any country.

However, this seems to be absent in Liberia. Liberia has been branded as under-developed after several decades of existence. The country remains inaccessible and impassable after more than a century and a half of existence. The administrative system of governance and development initiatives have been firmly situated in the capital and in the hands of a very few people with the president at the center of this hegemonic authority. There seems to be lack of basic structures at the local level which leads to government employees at all levels to abandon their duties to travel to the capital to receive their pay check not without difficulty. Local government employees are seen as an extension of the government in the capital; at such, they are reportable to their bosses in the capital in every respect.

Additionally, rural citizens lack control over resources and the opportunity to participate in decision making. They are not empowered to participate or engage their leaders in the development process. Development programs are planned by stakeholders at the central level; some of whom have not seen what is obtainable at the local level. Consequently, this has led the researcher to investigate the centralized problem and how decentralization and local government autonomy could enhance grassroots development in Liberia

1.3 Objective of the Study

DECENTRALIZATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY AND GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT IN LIBERIA