Browsing by Author "Mohammed, A.K."
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Item An Assessment of Tourism’s Environmental Impact on the Lake Bosomtwe Basin(International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 2018-07) Mohammed, A.K.Using information from interviews with key stakeholders and secondary sources, this article assessed whether Lake Bosomtwe tourism development has negatively impacted its ecology and, if so, what can be done to mitigate the impact. The evidence showed that despite the increase in awareness of the need to protect the lake environment, far greater abuses of the ecology are endemic for two reasons—the mismatch between knowledge and practice of ecologically sustainable tourism development, and the omission from the calculus of the influences that segments of the tourism supply chain have on one another to encourage more environmentally responsible tourism.Item Civic Engagement in Public Policy Making: Fad or Reality in Ghana?(Politics and Policy, 2013-02) Mohammed, A.K.Ghana's 55 years of nationhood have largely been lived under successions of undemocratic rule. There is the perception that the undemocratic governments, among others, excluded Ghanaians from the public policy-making process. However, many now believe the reintroduction of constitutional rule since 1993 has democratized policy decision making in ways that have engaged civil society actors via consultation and open public participation. The analysis of two cases (Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy I and Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II) enables this study to determine if this perception is correct. I conclude that although a gradual shift to participatory decision making has occurred and improved policy processes and outcomes, it is bedeviled by several structural challenges that place premium on elite preferences to the neglect of those of unorganized and marginalized rural folk. This finding leaves important question marks surrounding some of the fundamental principles of the good governance mantra. © The Policy Studies Organization.Item Do bureaucratic organizations lobby? The case of Ghana immigration service(The Estonian Journal of Administrative Culture and Digital Governance, 2019-05-30) Mohammed, A.K.Information from Seventy interviews and secondary evidence was used to investigate the relationship between Ghana Immigration Service’s (GIS) lobbying and the outcomes it produced. The focus of the investigation was in four areas: the strategies and tactics of lobbying employed; intermediate outcomes achieved; final outcome attained; and the effect of GIS’ lobbying on politics-administration relations. The evidence showed that the strategies succeeded in achieving the desired policy reforms. In addition to this final outcome, GIS’ lobbying also succeeded in attaining intermediate outcomes: increased attention; increased knowledge; and persuasion. Among others, the study’s contributions are that: it has explicated the overlooked conditions under which bureaucratic lobbying or influence is likely to occur; it has shown that lobbying impact should include not only final outcomes but also intermediate effects. Moreover, it has shown that politics-administration relations is a dynamic rather than a static category that is not explained by one best practice model but rather a best fit model or combination of models that is contingent on factors producing transient changes in the relationshipItem Does the policy cycle reflect the policymaking approach in Ghana?(Journal of Public Affairs, 2020-02-05) Mohammed, A.K.Based on two cases involving 60 interviews and secondary evidence, this paper investigated whether Ghana's policymaking approach accorded with the policy cycle. The evidence showed that the Ghana industrial policy was largely compliant with the model. But the free senior high school policy bore little resemblance to it. Factors that determined whether or not policymaking followed the policy cycle included the salience of the issue, the sponsor of the issue, the political environment at the time, and the timing of the introduction of the issue. Four conclusions can be drawn from the Ghanaian evidence. First, the rough edges of the policy cycle can be trimmed and applied as a best fit model rather than a best practice model in any jurisdiction. Second, the policy cycle like other policy process theories should not be written off as inappropriate or inefficacious simply because practice failed to adhere to one or two out of the several elements of the theory. Third, an integrated policy process model is likely to be more efficacious than a single one, but there is inattention to such an idea. Finally, drawing lessons from policy process theories is a neglected area, which needs to be emphasized.Item Education and health care policies in ghana: Examining the prospects and challenges of recent provisions(SAGE Publications Inc., 2015) Abukari, Z.; Kuyini, A.B.; Mohammed, A.K.Education and health care policies in Ghana since independence have been universalist in approach providing free universal health care and free basic and tertiary education until the early 1980s. Precipitated primarily by a severe drought, stagnant economic growth, mismanagement, and political instability, Ghana undertook major economic reforms with prodding from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in a bid to salvage the economy. These economic measures included cost recovery and cutback spending in education and health sectors. However, in recent years, purposive targeted interventions have been pursued to address inequalities in education and health care. These new programs include the Education Capitation Grant, school feeding program, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which are propelling Ghana toward the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The prospects of these programs in addressing disparities in access to education and health care in the country and recommendations for improved delivery are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.Item An evaluation of the Free Senior High School Policy in Ghana(Taylor & Francis Group, 2021) Mohammed, A.K.; Kuyini, A.B.Based on 65 interviews and secondary information, this study evaluated the programme, process and political dimensions of the Ghana Free Senior High School Education (SHS) Policy. The evidence from the data showed that the programme and its political dimensions were emphasised to the neglect of the process dimension. Effectiveness, one of the criteria in the programme dimension, was somewhat stressed. The remaining five criteria, including Equity, efficiency and responsiveness, were ignored. Overall, the political dimension was the most popular focus given that the introduction of the policy itself had been positively welcomed and this served to bolster confidence in the political regime as a whole. Some of the five stages of the process dimension, e.g. agenda setting and formulation, were poorly executed or were skipped, and implementation was fraught with challenges, such as inadequate funding and limited space. Implications in relation to the Multiple Streams Model, policy success/failure theory and the political settlement framework are discussed.Item An Evaluation of the Quality of Democracy of Ghana(Routledge, 2023) Mohammed, A.K.This paper assessed the quality of Ghana’s democracy along eight dimensions of democratic quality. The empirical basis of the study is information from 80 interviews and secondary sources. The evidence showed that there are intra-dimension and inter-dimension differences, in Ghana’s democratic quality performance and the dimensions do not co-vary. It also found that there is a gap between the demand for democracy and the supply of it. It further established that the causes of the democratic quality deficits are both internal and external. These findings speak of democratic backsliding and democratic careening in the literature – where the political involvement of citizens is limited to voting which is declining in quality, while they are ignored between elections, and they have little possibility of controlling corruption, or abuse of citizens’ rights or misgovernment; and where democracy is such that it lurches, swerves, sways, and threatens to tip over. Suggestions for resolving the democratic deficits are proffered, failing to implement which, Ghana’s fledgling democracy, which has shown signs of deterioration, will worsen.Item Ghana's family planning program: A neglected policy initiative?(Journal of Social Research and Policy, 2014-07) Mohammed, A.K.Ghana's Family Planning Program (FPP), maternal mortality intervention, and HIV/AIDS control program are all health policy priorities, which are supposed to be complementary to achieve desirable reproductive health outcomes. However, it appears disproportionately less attention is being paid to the former compared to the latter two, which are relatively new health policies. This may have implications not only for the effectiveness of the FPP and the other two policies, but more broadly reproductive health outcomes. This study investigates this claim and finds that the FPP has policy merits and that its relegation to the background has led to a very little incentive to space births, and a marginally positive incentive to increase fecund level, with attendant negative developmental consequences. It then concludes that despite the alarming rate of maternal mortality and loss of lives through HIV/AIDS, Ghana's population is still growing at a dangerous pace, making the FPP as relevant as ever.Item Ghana’s Vision for Development: A Study of Ghana Vision 2020 and the Gprs I and Ii(University of Ghana, 2014-10) Sampson, D.; Mohammed, A.K.; Gyekye-Jandoh, M.A; University of Ghana, College of Humanities , School of Social Sciences , Department of Political ScienceOver the years, successive governments have experimented with myriads of development plans and strategies to accelerate the pace of development of Ghana. Governments have introduced development policy frameworks such as the First Step (1996-2000) of the Ghana Vision 2020 and the Poverty Reduction Strategies (2003-2009). The ideas behind these plans have been to consolidate the gains achieved so far in the area of political, economic and social development and also ensure poverty levels are reduced through economic growth.This study seeks to examine the processes and the outcomes of the Ghana Vision 2020 and GPRS I & II. Interviews were the main data collection tool used. A purposive sampling technique was employedto select respondents.Twenty respondents were selected for the study. The study found that the approach to planning has become more participatory and decentralized with the involvement of civil society organizations, academic institutions and other government agencies. Ghana has achieved some level of development in the thematic areas of private sector competitiveness, governance and civic responsibility, human resource development and macroeconomic stability in areas of private sector growth, employment, poverty reduction, health care and lower levels of inflation although the country can improve on its current standings. The findings reveal that the country does not have a national development agenda rather it has separate political parties‟ development agenda. Politicization of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has inhibited Ghana‟s vision for development hence the need for a long term national development adhered to by successive governments.Item Is Ghana’s Law Against Human Trafficking a Success?(SAGE, 2022) Mohammed, A.K.This article assessed the success or otherwise of the Ghana Human Trafficking Act (GHTA), 2005, in curbing human trafficking. On the basis of interviews and secondary information, the assessment was done along the program, process, and politics dimensions. The evidence showed that GHTA achieved fairly its program objectives. However, failures occurred in all the phases of the Act’s enactment process. In particular, agenda setting suffered from definitional ambiguity surrounding human trafficking and implementation was mired by resource constraints and financial impropriety. The findings also revealed that an integrated model of human trafficking has greater explanatory power than a single one, but there is inattention to this in extant literature. The article concludes that lessons should be drawn from the specific type as well as the overall program, process, and political failures of the Act. As in this case, an exclusive focus on technical learning to the neglect of potential process and political failures has increased rather than decreased the chances of policy failure. Moreover, the accent on legislative bans to the neglect of other interventions is futile.Item The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and Aid Administration in Ghana: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects(University of Ghana, 2012-07) Osew, W.K.; Mohammed, A.K.; Owusu-Mensah, I.The end of the Cold War caused or at least promoted progress toward an aid architecture that sought to ensure effectiveness in the delivery of aid. The Paris Declaration (PD) was thus adopted to show the resolve of leaders to take far-reaching and monitorable actions to reform the ways in which aid was delivered and managed (PD, 2005: 1). The primary aim of the Declaration was to provide a framework to manage aid more effectively. Even though Ghana received much aid (a total of US$ 12 billion) between 1975 and 2002, there has been only little transformation in the country’s development. Meanwhile Ghana is one of the most active players in the global dialogue on aid effectiveness and has been closely involved in the Paris Agenda. This study sought to assess the impact of the Paris Declaration on the delivery of aid in Ghana. The research methodology employed involved a mix of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The study found that Ghana has made tremendous progress with ownership with the formulation of the GSGDA and in the Education Sector, the ESP. Also, in spite of improvements in alignment and harmonization, aid is still far from aligned to national development priorities as off-plan and off-budget expenditures persist. Progress with managing for results and mutual accountability has been a mixed one. The challenges of implementing the PD extend from the non-availability of information on the complete picture of external assistance to Ghana, through weak sector strategies and weak planning, to secret conditionalities in the form of policy advice and policy prescriptions. The PD fills a void by establishing accepted aid effectiveness standards and mutual expectations as well as providing a governance framework for dialogue among stakeholders. There, however, remain notable challenges in aid delivery in Ghana.Item Politics of Public Policy Implementation in Ghana. A Case Study of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND)(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Oppong, A.; Asare, B.E.; Mohammed, A.K.The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was established by an Act of Parliament in 2000, Act 581, to promote the development of education in the country. Notwithstanding the well- crafted nature and noble intentions of the GETFund policy, its implementation has suffered setbacks. Analysis of data collected revealed that GETFund has been politicized. Its implementation has generated conflict among competing forces including disagreements, suspicions and an effort to sidestep frontline institutions and individuals tasked with the responsibility to administer the fund. These political interferences the study revealed have undermined the attainment of the objectives of the Fund. Proposals to improve on the implementation of GETFund such as a depoliticized process of application of GETFund would free it from the manipulations by politicians and their bureaucratic collaborations. Keywords: Politics, Policy Implementation, Educational Financing.Item Purchaser-provider split: Does theory match evidence in Tasmania?(Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 2010-12) Mohammed, A.K.I examine the purchaser-provider split in the contexts of two local government areas (Hobart and Sorell) in Tasmania, Australia. I assess whether that split has delivered on the promised effects. I also examine the influence that context has on response outcomes to the purchaser - provider arrangement. Specifically, I pay attention to the impact of purchaser-provider reform on service spending, aggregate municipal spending, and total employment. The evidence shows that the use of the purchaser-provider split is viable only for large programme expenditures. The purchaser - provider split is not related to total municipal spending even though it may be negatively related to the programmes that are subject to it. Savings from purchaser-provider reform result in increased spending and therefore employment elsewhere in the local authority. Greater efficiency gains in some jurisdictions are attributable more to particular local favourable contextual conditions than to the purchaser-provider split per se. © 2010 Pion Ltd and its Licensors.