An assessment of institutional capacity for implementation of population policy in Ghana

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2000-02-01
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Abstract
Rapid population growth has been a matter of great concern to governments all over the world in view of the problems that it poses to socio-economic development effort. Ghana realised this, and in 1969 formulated a comprehensive national population policy. As a major public policy, the population policy appeared to have satisfied the necessary conditions for its successful implementation. However, after almost three decades of the promulgation of the policy, Ghana’s population problems appeared to be reaching crisis proportions. Following the abysmal performance, the policy was revised in 1994 with renewed efforts in institutional framework restructuring. The aim of the study has been; I. to identify the institutions and their roles in the implementation of the revised population policy; II. to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the institutions in the performance of their roles; III. to identify problems hindering the successful implementation of the revised policy; and IV. to make recommendations towards the realisation of the goals of the policy. The study adopted qualitative descriptive measure of analysis as the major tool of data analysis. The main theoretical and analytical framework applied for the study included performance category and performance indicators, variance analysis and strength- weakness- opportunity- threat (SWOT) analysis. Ghana has a comprehensive population policy with clearly defined goals, objectives, target, and implementation strategies as well as an elaborate institutional framework and plan of action for its implementation. Nonetheless., he desired result appear not have been realised because of the apparent generally weak institutional capacity in terms of financial, human, equipment and logistical resources to implement the programmes of the policy. Other problems relate o unclearly defined roles; inadequate working relationships and co-ordination among the implementing institutions; excessive dependence on donor support; high level of illiteracy and strict adherence to traditional and cultural beliefs. To help address these problems and improve upon the capacity of the implementation institutions, the following recommendations have been made: • alternative and adequate sources of funding for population programmes should be sought to help solve the manpower and equipment/logistic needs; • effective strategy to co-ordinate the activities of institutions in the implementation of the population policy should be designed; • the pace of integration of population and family life education into curricula of formal education should be accelerated; • research on population issues should be expanded and intensified and • all sectors and segments of society should be brought into the implementation of the population policy.
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A Thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in Development Policy and Planning, 2000
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