Local Participation in Community-Based Development Projects in Ghana

Introduction

Local participation is not only believed to be the “panacea” to ensuring improvement, especially in the context of poverty alleviation (Boakye-Agyei, 2009) but also justified as a prerequisite to, and a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development and general societal well-being (Work, 2002). A number of authors have categorized participation in development projects into typologies with lower and higher levels (Chambers, 2005; Ahwoi, 2007; Ayee, 2000a; Ayoade, 2000). In lower levels of participation, the local people contribute labour, time, and resources, whereas decisions are controlled by the development organization. In contrast, higher levels of participation have the local people taking command of the project, undertaking their own analysis and making key decisions. Chambers (2005) analysed that, scholars have different opinions regarding higher and lower levels of participation, whiles some think higher level give more power to local people, others have the opinion that participating in lower levels may also be an empowering process.

Local participation, particularly by the poor and marginalized, in development initiatives intended to benefit them have been acknowledged as important in achieving sustainable development (Blackburn & Holland, 2007; Dadzie, 2000; Korkor, 2014). The assumption is that the local people themselves better understand their economic and social milieu and probably have insights that can help shape initiatives intended to benefit them. Ideally, a good local participation program will enable those who are interested in or affected by a decision to have an opportunity to influence the outcome. However, Chambers (2005) points out that rural or community development projects have had a high failure rate because most program officers are external experts and outsiders, who are neither poor nor rural, and thus do not have a true understanding of the issues at stake. Community members must therefore be recognized to foster participation for development.

In Ghana for instance, many government projects that have been successfully delivered have suffered a backlash because of the lack of involvement of local people and neglect of the cultural, historical and social perspectives of the local people. Some typical examples of Government project that has suffered this fate are the Ayensu Starch Factory and the Komenda Tomatoes Factory in the Central Region (Boateng, 2012). To Boateng, this as a major concern, has led many stakeholders, particularly benefactors, to consider better ways of devising structures and/or measures that will ensure a social content as well as promote a social context within which participation in all community-based development projects can be enhanced.

Over the years, most studies conducted on the subject matter have largely focused on conceptualizing theories associated with local participation in community development (Boakye-Adjei, 2009; Amon, 2014; Fundi, 2005) with seldom any recourse to the dynamics and complexities of environmental context of participation (IJHSS, 2016). The problem, therefore, is “What socio-cultural factors influence community’s participation in community development projects?” This study takes the discussion to the local people in Ga West Municipality and presents an argument that substantiates a socially constructed position on local participation in development interventions.

The study critically analyses the Ga West communities’ perception about local participation and examines the socio-cultural factors that influence local participation in these communities.

The study seeks to:

• 1.

  Analyse how local people in the Ga West Municipality perceive local participation.

• 2.

  Identify and examine the socio-cultural factors that influence community participation.