The ‘Watermelon Story’ revisited
Here’s a question for Dr Callistus Mahama, Head of the Local Government Service and, perhaps, Local Government Minister Alhaji Collins Dauda: what has happened to the Local Economic Development (LED) policy?
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Actually, the question is not from me; I’m just passing it on. It’s from a concerned person asking me what has happened to the policy since 2014 when I wrote about it.
The following is a summary of the email ‘Ms J’ sent me a few days ago:
I read at the Graphic Online site an article you wrote on in June, 2014, about watermelons, which I liked. It was titled ‘A Watermelon Story’ and you mentioned a Local Economic Development policy that was to be introduced to take care of local strengths including agricultural produce.
Can you help me find out more about the policy? I’m interested in watermelon, but I would also like some information on other produce well.
Thank you for reporting that story.
Her mail was an uncomfortable reminder to me of just how negligent those of us in the Ghanaian media are, about doing follow-ups. With the exception of a few diligent colleagues, most of us have to ‘plead guilty to the charge’. We forget that every now and then, there is need to revisit issues we have written about and give the public an update.
This failure allows politicians and office-holders a lot of room to manoeuvre! They get away with telling the public half-truths and downright lies, especially about their political opponents. They know they will escape serious questions, embarrassment, because most of us in the media hardly ever bother to check what is being presented as ‘news’, or ‘facts’.
Otherwise, for instance, how could those of us who reported, or commented on the LED have forgotten about that policy in the recent controversy generated by the ‘one district, one factory’ proposal of the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party?
Earlier this year, in June, NPP standard-bearer Nana Akufo-Addo stated that if he wins the general election, one of his key initiatives will be the creation of one factory in each of the country’s 216 districts. This proposal, announced in the Central Region, as part of the NPP’s plans to boost the Ghanaian economy, continues to attract censure and ridicule from the ruling National Democratic Congress.
The following are excerpts from my 2014 article about a watermelon glut cited by Ms J, ‘A Watermelon Story’:
“(As reported by the Ghana News Agency) Heaps of watermelon are found by the roadside to attract commuters using the Nkurakan-Asesewa road but because the patronage is low, the fruits after some weeks begin perishing....
“What can be done to find lasting solutions to such problems, post-harvest losses, in this agricultural country of ours?
“Perhaps the solution lies in a more coordinated approach at the local level? This was my thinking when, coincidentally, at a forum on media and local governance last week, it emerged that a new governance initiative, a Local Economic Development (LED) policy, is expected to take off in the near future.
“It immediately conjured up for me visions of enterprise-minded people in communities being assisted to set up businesses in their localities, as well as the blooming of cottage industry ideas and skills.
“I could also see the LED taking care of the concerns of farmers, notably management of their agricultural produce in order to boost farmer incomes and reduce rural poverty. Also, gluts would be history because farmers would be part of a local produce marketing plan even before planting.
“The forum, themed ‘A National Stakeholders Forum on Media and Accountable Local Governance in Ghana’, was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its partners.
“It was while giving an update on the state of Ghana’s decentralisation process that the Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Callistus Mahama, touched on the LED, an offshoot of the National Decentralisation Policy and Action Plan launched in 1988.
“Implementation will begin once a manual being produced with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme is ready for training to begin, Dr Mahama indicated at the MFWA forum.
“The LED scheme was born in 2010 and reportedly approved by the Cabinet as far back as 2012.
“He said that when finalised, it would be implemented by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to help them identify local development needs to enhance the living standards of the people.
“One hopes that the policy includes identifying every district’s resources, notably agricultural produce, in order to promote them ….” (‘A Watermelon Story’, issue of June 6, 2014).
As I stated in that 2014 article, and on another platform prior to that, it makes sense to me that every district in this country should be assisted to exploit its comparative advantage, even if it’s only through the establishment of cottage industries.
Granted that some of us get confused by ‘big English’, is the LED not similar to Mr Akufo-Addo’s plan?
“LED is defined as the process by which local governments … and other actors join forces and resources … to create new jobs and stimulate economic activities in municipalities, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ….”
It seems to me that the very laudable LED policy that in 2014 was under serious discussion by the NDC Government, and, incidentally was being supported by the UNDP, is not very different from the NPP’s proposal. So why the strident, scornful, ‘it can’t be done!’ and ‘it’s a phantom idea’ from the NDC?
A search on the Internet reveals that the Institute of Local Government Studies even offers a Master’s Programme in LED; and there is also a LED Centre!
If the LED was approved by the NDC administration a good four years ago, but it hasn’t yet taken off, did it suffer a stillbirth? Is that perhaps the reason why NDC stalwarts feel no other administration can implement a similar project?
Anyway, I believe Ms J is not the only person anxiously waiting for an answer to the question which Dr Callistus Mahama needs to kindly assist us with: what has happened to the LED policy?
