Decentralisation and Environmental Sustainability in Ghana The Case of Obuasi Municipal Assembly in The Ashanti Region

Abstract

Decentralisation is extensively adopted as a mechanism to perk up democratic procedure of governance and the integrity and competence of scarce resource allotment. While the objectives and the key principles of decentralisation such as subsidiarity are illustrious, attempts to execute them have not always been flourishing. This study aimed at empirically evaluating the link between decentralisation and environmental sustainability in the Obuasi Municipality of Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews of a total of twenty (20) respondents including seven key informants purposely selected due to their role in the implementation of decentralisation in the Municipality and some key community members. The study reveals that the link between decentralisation and environmental sustainability had been speckled in the Obuasi Municipality. It reveals that measures including effective monitoring mechanisms, provision of adequate financial and economic resources, and the involvement of all stakeholders in environmental sustainability put in place by the Municipal Assembly are yielding good results. The study recommends tightening environmental sustainability policies to prevent environmental degradation. It also recommends complete involvement of the members of the Municipality in decision making relating to environmental sustainability at all levels of the municipality. These are a way forward for a maximum attainment of environmental sustainability leading to an improved human health of the people in the Obuasi Municipality. It is imperative to mention that effective decentralisation which is geared towards quality environmental sustainability for improved human health would flourish when equity, effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness of resource utilisation are considered as the building blocks.