Renowned policy analyst Alfred Appiah has issued a powerful critique of Ghana’s centralized policymaking structure, calling for a radical shift toward genuine decentralization.
Alfred Appiah expressed deep frustration with what he described as a “one-size-fits-all” approach driven by central government actors in Accra, which, according to him, ignores the diverse realities of Ghana’s numerous districts.
“Central government policies often assume that all districts have the same needs, priorities, and capacity, which is simply not the case. Ghana is far too diverse for that kind of thinking.”
Alfred Appiah
His argument drew attention to multiple policy failures stemming from this approach. He cited the example of the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP) initiated under the previous NPP administration.
Alfred Appiah explained that although road infrastructure is vital, the imposition of DRIP as a national priority led to the mandatory use of district assembly common fund allocations to finance road-related equipment—some of which were reportedly acquired at inflated prices.
“Under the guise of DRIP, equipment was purchased at allegedly higher prices than market values. This distorted local priorities and channeled much-needed funds away from other pressing district-level needs.”
Alfred Appiah
Successive Governments’ Mishap
According to him, the problem is not limited to past administrations. The current government, he said, is replicating the same missteps through initiatives such as the central government’s directive on the use of the District Assembly Common Fund, mandating every district to build two Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds.
Appiah argued that such a top-down mandate fails to consider the varying stages of healthcare infrastructure development across the country.
“Some districts may urgently need CHPS compounds, while others—where construction has already begun under Agenda 111 and is at very advanced stages—would benefit far more from completing those hospitals.
“Why must the central government mandate that every district construct two CHPS compounds, regardless of their starting point?”
Alfred Appiah
He further questioned the logic behind another instruction for District Assemblies to commit 25 per cent of their District Assembly Common Fund to constructing 24-hour economy model markets.
While acknowledging that the idea of boosting local economies has merit, Appiah emphasized that such a directive does not serve all districts equally.
“Exactly how does this benefit a remote district that struggles to provide basic water and sanitation infrastructure? What value is a 24-hour market when the district doesn’t even have enough economic activity to support daytime trading?”
Alfred Appiah
In his view, development should be rooted in local needs, with district leaders empowered to decide how best to use their limited resources.
Forcing national development templates onto local realities, Alfred Appiah warned, not only fails to solve problems but often results in wasteful expenditures and questionable procurement contracts.
Appiah’s call aligns with growing demands for the full implementation of Ghana’s decentralization agenda, which has long promised to shift political and fiscal authority from central government to local assemblies.
Although some progress has been made over the years, critics argue that the process has been too slow and cosmetic, often leaving district assemblies dependent on central government directives and allocations.
According to Appiah, what Ghana needs is not symbolic decentralization but a transformative shift that entrusts local governments with real decision-making authority.
“We need genuine decentralisation now! Districts should be able to prioritise and allocate resources based on local realities, not centralized assumptions,” he emphasised.
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