Politics of abandoned projects at the local level in Ghana- A case of Twifu Atti-Morkwa District

Abstract

The implementation and delivery of projects absorb immense investment and play a significant role as a major driving force in the growth of several sectors in the economies of many countries. The successful completion of projects contributes to the socio-economic development of states and boosts the construction industry as well. However, countries around the globe face project abandonment, and within sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana is not an exception. This thesis, therefore, uses the qualitative approach to probe into the nature and prevalence of abandoned projects, the causes, and the effects in Ghana, using the Twifu Atti-Morkwa district as a case study. Fourteen (14) elite interviews were conducted, and data were collated and analyzed. After the data has been analyzed, it was however ascertained that there are many abandoned projects in the districts, and these are mostly educational and road projects, even though there are others such as abandoned sanitation, water, economic, health, and agriculture projects. With the causes of the abandoned projects, the study revealed that they were political, economic, social, physical, and technological in nature, with some examples such as political interference, delay in the release of funds, social unrest, natural and man-made disasters, and the use of obsolete technological tools and equipment. Also, the study revealed that these abandoned projects slow down economic growth and also account for financial loss to the state. There is also the loss of trust in the government by the citizens, and also some negative impacts on the environment as well, loss of tax revenue, and the decline in foreign investors in the country. The study concludes that the negative antecedents of projects being abandoned have poorly impacted on the development of the district and the country at large. Also, the persistence of abandoned projects stems from a political culture that prioritizes new projects over older ones, which is driven by the political credit dynamics. Based on the above, the study therefore recommended the early release of funds, effective monitoring and supervision of project sites, non-interference in project implementation process by political appointees, scrutinizing contractors very keenly before given them contracts, and also for contracts to be given to contractors based on qualifications and merits and not on party lines or political affiliations to help curb such menace within our communities.