Acceptance of E-Government Strategies by Local Authorities in Ghana: A Case Study of Accra Metropolitan Assembly
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Date
2017-06
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University of Ghana
Abstract
The study adopted the case study research design and the qualitative research approach of social
research in examining the acceptance of the use of point of sale devices in revenue collection and
electronic registration of marriage, at Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). In all, one-on-one
in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-seven (27) participants. Interpretive analyses, as
well as, secondary data from the literature review, were used to analyse the results of the study.
The study found that at the AMA point of sale devices was mainly adopted to collect rates,
whereas the online registration of marriage was used in the registration and the verification of
ordinance marriage. It was also established that apart from perceived usefulness and perceived
ease of use, acceptance of these e-government strategies was influenced by social, cultural and
political factors. Also, findings point to the fact that, between the two strategies, the usage of the
point of sale devices is more accepted as compared to online registration of marriages. The
acceptance of the usage of point of sale devices was attributed mainly to its perceived usefulness,
which was also shaped by adequate training of target users. Most remarkable of factors
accounting for the low acceptance of the marriage registration portal was the low level of
perceived usefulness associated with it. The low level of perceived usefulness was shaped by
socio-cultural issues like the norms of clients; corruption; the cost of e-government usage; and
the lack of trust. The cost associated with e-government was not only identified as a challenge
but also a negative factor in the acceptance of both e-government strategies. The study, therefore,
recognised that to sustain e-government strategies at the AMA, there is the need for
policymakers to use incentives to encourage citizens and public servants to accept e-government
strategies. The study also established the necessity of training and awareness creation on egovernment
strategies to boost acceptance by target users.
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Keywords
E-Government Strategies, Local Authorities, Ghana, Accra Metropolitan Assembly