RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR CSC 1
THE ROLE OF BUREAUCRACY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF AFRICA.
(GHANA AS A CASE STUDY)
By
Mawuli Komla Kottoh
A research proposal submitted to the CHINESE SCHOLARSHIP COUNCIL in partial fulfilment of the requirement for Master’s degree scholarship in public administration in international development at Tsinghua University.
March 2015.
ABSTRACT
Even though the public sector in African countries is expected to spearhead socioeconomic development to reduce poverty, it has proved largely ineffective in performing this task. Some of the reasons for this ineffectiveness are excessive politicization, lack of accountability and representation, inability to promote the public interest and authoritarian tendencies. This ineffectiveness has led to the call for a redefinition of the role of the public sector. As a contribution to the debate over the proper role of the public sector, and how it has coped with the Public sector Management reforms, this research proposal assesses the state of public sector management in Africa with peculiar interest on Ghana by focusing specifically on the strengths and challenges of the state and its bureaucracy in relation to performance and how the challenges can be addressed.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Haque in 2001 stated, the basic function of the public sector was to provide goods and services to citizens based on realization and representation of public interests and its possession of unique public qualities compared to business management. However, the public sector was not able to perform its function effectively because of its accumulation of excessive power, lack of accountability and representation, corruption, indifference towards public needs and demands, official secrecy and inaccessibility, and role in depoliticizing the public sphere.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Ghana gained independence from Britain on the 6th of March 1957, prior to that the country’s government machinery was controlled by the British
(GHANA AS A CASE STUDY)
By
Mawuli Komla Kottoh
A research proposal submitted to the CHINESE SCHOLARSHIP COUNCIL in partial fulfilment of the requirement for Master’s degree scholarship in public administration in international development at Tsinghua University.
March 2015.
ABSTRACT
Even though the public sector in African countries is expected to spearhead socioeconomic development to reduce poverty, it has proved largely ineffective in performing this task. Some of the reasons for this ineffectiveness are excessive politicization, lack of accountability and representation, inability to promote the public interest and authoritarian tendencies. This ineffectiveness has led to the call for a redefinition of the role of the public sector. As a contribution to the debate over the proper role of the public sector, and how it has coped with the Public sector Management reforms, this research proposal assesses the state of public sector management in Africa with peculiar interest on Ghana by focusing specifically on the strengths and challenges of the state and its bureaucracy in relation to performance and how the challenges can be addressed.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Haque in 2001 stated, the basic function of the public sector was to provide goods and services to citizens based on realization and representation of public interests and its possession of unique public qualities compared to business management. However, the public sector was not able to perform its function effectively because of its accumulation of excessive power, lack of accountability and representation, corruption, indifference towards public needs and demands, official secrecy and inaccessibility, and role in depoliticizing the public sphere.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Ghana gained independence from Britain on the 6th of March 1957, prior to that the country’s government machinery was controlled by the British