Planning and budgeting for poverty reduction: a comparative study of selected districts in Ghana

The experience over the years with the plans and budgets of district assemblies indicate that they are less responsive to the needs of the poor in content. Upon successive implementation of several development plans, the poor still do not have access to basic services. The proportion of development projects and programmes as well as financial resources allocated in district development plans that go to benefit the poor has been far below what is located in the well endowed areas within the districts. Targeting the poor for development programmes and projects has also been very weak because of the difficulty of identi1’ing and locating where the poor are living. In addition, the poor have virtually no influence as far as the planning and budgeting processes at the district level are concerned. The study adopted a combination of the case study and comparative study research approach. The district level constituted the focus of the empirical analysis of pro poor planning and budgeting. Both quantitative and qualitative research techniques were adopted in this study. Data from both primary and secondary sources were also utilized for this research. Two districts — Asante Akim South District and Fanteakwa District in Ashanti and Eastern Regions respectively were selected for this study. The former district was relatively well endowed with basic infrastructure and the latter less endowed. Using the physical accessibility methodology to determine the distribution of the poor in space, the study came to the conclusion that the district plans and budgets of the study districts were not pro poor. Most of the development projects and financial resources were concentrated in the well endowed settlements in both districts. Targeting the poor for development projects was also very weak culminating in the numerous “district wide” projects in the district plans of both districts. The poor also had no influence in the process of planning and budgeting at the district level as a result of the absence and weakness of sub district structures and civil society organizations. The study therefore recommends that the government builds the capacity of sub district structures to enable them identify, the prioritized needs of the poor in their communities which would then be used as an input into preparing a district development plans and composite budgets. Area councils and Unit Committees should also be assisted with logistics and monetary support by their respective district assemblies to enable them undertake their duties with much enthusiasm. The district assemblies should step up efforts at generating local revenue to finance development projects and to reduce their over reliance on central government grants which come with projects already predetermined. Guidelines for district planning should also be released early enough by the National development Planning Commission to allow ample time for planning at the district level. Government should encourage civil societies to analyze district plans and budgets to enable them advocate for more resources for the poor. The District Planning Coordinating Units of the selected district assemblies must ensure that all development projects selected to be implemented in their district development plans have specific target beneficiaries which include the poor.

Source: KNUST