The Political Culture of Abandon Government Development Projects in Ghana

Abstract

The Coronavirus pandemic and its resultant effects on public health facilities have ignited the 'Abandoned Projects War'. Apparently, many infrastructural projects across all sectors of the economy (ie. health, education, transportation, trade, etc) have been left uncompleted by successive governments for reasons best known to them. In many African countries and for that matter Ghana, desire for development projects such as schools, hospitals and clinics, affordable housing, markets, bus terminal, road construction, drainage systems are very popular among politicians for vote before every election. Voters' desire for evidence based projects before every election motivates politicians to make enormous campaign promises. Hitherto, lots of countries in Africa are littered with abandoned projects that are in mid construction which are critical for the social economic progress of the country. In Ghana, it is estimated that one-third of developmental projects started are never completed, consuming nearly one-fifth of all local government investment. This research proposes that projects abandoned in Ghana can be attributed to the political system of governance where election is a zero-sum game. This research finds scientific evidence in consistent with the assumption of the problem, an actions that has become a political culture in Ghana. To improved government project completions in Ghana will be to reinforce a National development agenda that goes beyond political lines, and a complete overhaul of the political system of governance. It is time for our leaders to do what is right and not what pleases voters.