Why national development experts are not included in development policy-making and practice: The case of Ghana
Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Development Policy Review
Abstract
Motivation: This article contributes to the debate around understanding whether and how the identity of aid workers (e.g. nationality, race,
etc.) can contribute to inequality within various aid relationships. As
“decolonizing development” is often employed either as a slogan or
genuine goal, it is imperative that the politics of exclusion among/within
development experts is critically scrutinized.
Purpose: This article explores the processes of and the motivations
behind how national development experts (NDEs) are frequently
excluded in development policy-making and practice in Ghana.
Methods and approach: This article relies on qualitative research
methods and draws from semi-structured interviews conducted in two
phases in 2017 and 2018 in Ghana. We focus on the narratives of the
NDEs in Ghana are perceived to be well placed to elucidate the different mechanics of exclusionary processes and practices.
Findings: International development experts (IDEs) are able to set
agendas and exercise development decision-making power as their
governments or organizations provide funding for many development projects.
projects. This allows IDEs to influence development policies and practices in a way that eventually excludes NDEs from development
policy-making in Ghana. We also reveal internal competition and power
relations between NDEs and local actors (i.e. bureaucrats and politicians)
can also exclude the NDEs from development policy-making processes,
a feature that is non-existent in current scholarship.
Policy implications: The exclusion of NDEs from national development
decision-making processes undermines efforts to promote national
ownership. It is important to adopt a holistic approach that does not just
focus on one particular aspect (e.g. power inequality among different
actors) of exclusionary practice in international development but also
looks into local political and cultural settings as well as possible internal
competition for resources.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
development expertise, power relations, Ghana