The Dilemma of Africa's Underdevelopment: A Comparative Study of Policy Response in Ghana and in Uganda

Abstract

This thesis uses Ghana and Uganda as case studies to undertake a comparative study of Africa‟s development challenge and its policy response. Recognizing the state in Africa as the prime mover in the formulation and implementation of policies, the study utilises the Neoclassical Counter-revolution theory that enabled analysis of the central position of the state in policy making within the context of the larger society and the external environment. Methodologically, the case study method is used to analyse policy dynamics, choices and outcomes, with information derived from secondary sources. Findings from the study are that at independence, both Ghana and Uganda pursued similar development strategies with a mix of socialist and capitalist policies with poor development outcomes. Africa‟s development failures in the 1970s and 1980s precipitated by persistent political instability and leadership inconsistency negatively affected the development of the two countries. With the introduction of structural adjustment policies along with political reforms under the auspices of the World Bank and the IMF, both Ghana and Uganda enjoyed stable political leadership and steady economic growth with key development indices showing positive results. This suggests a positive correlation between political stability and consistent positive development outcomes. However, structural adjustment and stabilisation policies affected the initiative of the two countries to develop strong policy-making institutions and brought the issue of policy ownership to question. The study observed that policy processes were more consistent in Ghana than in Uganda, where long years of civil war brought several interruptions, with dire consequences on the population. Thus Ghana had a resultant better development outcome than Uganda in the two decades of comparative policy response and outcomes between 1983 and 2006, with higher score on GDP growth, better human development index and higher school enrolment for example. The study offers two inter-related levels of recommendations. The first set are policy related and call for the development and ownership of an effective policy machinery with democratic participation within the context of the external and internal development challenges that countries face to cure the disconnect that exists between policy and ownership. The second set of recommendations aims to ensure political stability and accountable leadership to embed policy effectiveness as well as the peace and human security which are prerequisites for national development. Further research is also proposed on citizen involvement and responses in the policy process.