There has been an age old assertion that once public policies are formulated, the policies will
automatically be implemented to achieve their stated objectives. To unravel this, the article
through comparative empirical analysis discussed the dynamics that influenced local economic
development implementation in Ghana. It emerged that four key dynamics: politics, leadership
commitment and will, land tenure system and administrative, institutional and procedural mech anisms differently shaped local economic development implementation in the three local govern ment units. Whereas these factors promoted local economic development implementation in
some of the assemblies, it hindered its successful implementation in others. The findings of this
article are of significance to local economic development and local governance practitioners and
politicians as they strife to implement local economic development policies.
