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UNITS 4-6 URBAN GOVERNANCE. Unit 4: Actors (Stakeholders) in Settlement Growth and Management. The Settlement Planning Arena. A High-stakes Game Berke , Godschalk and Kaiser (2006) describe settlement planning and management as a “high-stakes game”. What do the authors mean by that?
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UNITS 4-6 URBAN GOVERNANCE Urban Governance
Unit 4: Actors (Stakeholders) in Settlement Growth and Management Urban Governance
The Settlement Planning Arena A High-stakes Game • Berke, Godschalkand Kaiser (2006) describe settlement planning and management as a “high-stakes game”. What do the authors mean by that? • Multiplicity of interests/values and stakeholders • There are narrow interests vs. public interests Urban Governance
The Settlement Planning Arena The Game Players: • Who are the “game players” in the settlement planning and management arena? Urban Governance
The Settlement Planning Arena The Game Players: • Government (political leaders + technocrats) • Land owners (traditional authorities, families, individuals, etc) • Businesses (estate developers, industrial and commercial entities, etc) • Citizens/residents, etc, etc What are the interests of these different players (actors/stakeholders)? Urban Governance
The Settlement Planning Arena Competition and Cooperation • Why would you describe the settlement planning process as a game of “competition and cooperation”? Urban Governance
The Settlement Planning Arena The Role of the Planner • What is the role of the planner in the game? Does he have one role? • Why would you say the planner is • One of the game players? • A rule setter? • A neutral mediator? Urban Governance
Units 5-6: Urban Management in the Context of Decentralization and Local Governance in Ghana Urban Governance
Decentralization What is Decentralization? • Transfer of political, administrative, planning and fiscal authority and responsibilities from central government to local government units Urban Governance
Decentralization What is the Rationale for Decentralization? • Failure of centralized systems to deliver efficiently • Decentralization has the potential to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources • It is part of the good governance/ democratization agenda • It is supposed to engender popular participation in decision-making Urban Governance
Overview of Ghana’s Decentralization Policy Some Key Features: • Re-demarcation of administrative jurisdictions (districts) • Establishment of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies • Establishment of sub-district structures Urban Governance
Overview of Ghana’s Decentralization Policy Some Key Features (cont.): • Restructuring of resource allocation and resource sharing b/n central and local govts • E.g. District Assemblies Common Fund • Land rates and minerals royalties • Grants and transfers • External credits Urban Governance
Overview of Ghana’s Decentralization Policy Some Key Features (cont.): • Participation of Non-State Actors • business entities • NGOs • CBOs • Other CSOs • MLGRD responsible for implementing the decentralisation policy Urban Governance
Overview of Ghana’s Decentralization Policy Main Components of Ghana’s Decentralization Policy • Political decentralisation • Administrative Decentralisation • Decentralized Development Planning • Fiscal decentralization Urban Governance
A. Political Decentralisation • Re-demarcation of the country into districts • Establishment and empowerment of the RCCs, MMDAs & the Sub-District Structures to perform various functions • Establishment of the MMDAs as legislative, administrative, planning, service delivery, budgeting and rating authorities • Sub-district structures to facilitate resource mobilization and popular participation Urban Governance
B. Administrative Decentralisation • Restructuring of ministerial institutions and transferring defined functions, powers and resources to local govts • Integration of sectorial programmes, resources and assets into the Assembly system • Restructuring of 22 depts into 16, 13 and 11 depts under the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies respectively • Passage of a Local Govt Service Act to bring all employees of the MMDAs into the public service. Urban Governance
C. Decentralised Development Planning • A bottom-up, integrated and participatory development planning system. • Planning at district, sub-district and sectorial levels coordinated by the DPCU • RPCUs responsible for harmonising and synchronising district plans based on national policy framework and guidelines issued by NDPC • Development of service centres and rational, efficient and sustainable settlement and land use patterns Urban Governance
D. Fiscal Decentralisation • Meant to enhance the Assemblies’ access to resources • Creation of DACF , allocated based on a formula prepared by the Administrator of DACF and approved by Parliament • Establishment of ‘MPs Common Fund’ Urban Governance
D. Fiscal Decentralisation • Ceding of income tax payable by informal sector operators, vehicle operators, and betting, entertainment and advertising companies to the MMDAs. • IGF sources of the MMDAs: user fees, rates (basic and property), licenses, investment incomes, loans/overdrafts, etc • Submission of MMDA budget to the RCCs for harmonization, co-ordination and collation and approval of by Min. of Finance Urban Governance
The New Local Gov’t System • . Urban Governance
Functions of DAs • Three Broad Functions: • Deliberative Function • Legislative Function • Executive Function • 86 Specific Functions • See handout Urban Governance
Challenges of the New Local Gov’t & Planning Systems • Has Ghana’s New Local Government/ Decentralized Planning System worked as expected? • If no, what are the challenges/ problems associated with it? Urban Governance
Challenges of the New Local Gov’t & Planning Systems • Excessive control by central government • Lack of coordination and integration of planning activities by various departments/ agencies • Emphasis on socio-economic development planning and marginalization of physical planning • Sub-standard, disjointed and atomistic land use plans prepared by quacks contracted by customary land owners Urban Governance
Challenges of the New Local Gov’t & Planning Systems • Non-enforcement of planning schemes and standards: • Lack of political will • Low capacity of DAs • Corruption among some public officials • Abuse of re-zoning provisions • General disregard for planning and orderly development, etc Urban Governance