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The Politics of Regional Inequality in Ghana: State Elites, Donors and PRSPs

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  • Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai
  • David Hulme

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="dpr12124-abs-0001"> Through an analysis of Ghana's HIPC Fund which was established as part of the PRSP process, this article shows how aid-financed efforts to reduce regional inequality in Ghana have failed. Dominant political elites agreed to policies reducing regional inequality in order to have access to aid funding but, once approved, these funds were allocated on quite different criteria in ways that marginalised the poorest. This analysis reinforces the growing recognition that developmental outcomes in most poor countries are shaped not so much by the design of ‘good’ policies per se, but more importantly by the power relationships within which policy-implementing institutions are embedded. Aid donors seem unable to grasp this important lesson fully, and so their capacity to contribute to reducing regional inequality remains limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai & David Hulme, 2015. "The Politics of Regional Inequality in Ghana: State Elites, Donors and PRSPs," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 33(5), pages 529-553, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devpol:v:33:y:2015:i:5:p:529-553
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/dpr.2015.33.issue-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2017. "The Political Economy of Regional Inequality in Ghana: Do Political Settlements Matter?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(1), pages 213-229, January.
    2. Abman, Ryan & Lundberg, Clark, 2024. "Contracting, market access and deforestation," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    3. Jin Mun Jeong, 2020. "Economic sanctions and income inequality: impacts of trade restrictions and foreign aid suspension on target countries," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 37(6), pages 674-693, November.
    4. Muna Shifa & Murray Leibbrandt, 2017. "Profiling Multidimensional Poverty and Inequality in Kenya and Zambia at Sub-National Levels," SALDRU Working Papers 209, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    5. Samuel Brazys & Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati & Tianyang Song, 2019. "Which Wheel Gets the Grease? Constituent Agency and Sub-national World Bank Aid Allocation," Working Papers 201907, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    6. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2018. "Rethinking elite commitment to social protection in Ghana: Insights from an adapted political settlements approach," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-112-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    7. Sara Stevano & Deborah Johnston & Emmanuel Codjoe, 2018. "Urban food security in the context of inequality and dietary change: a study of school children in Accra," Working Papers 20181804, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol.
    8. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai & Giles Mohan, 2019. "The politics of bureaucratic ‘pockets of effectiveness’ - Insights from Ghana’s Ministry of Finance," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-119-19, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    9. De Juan, Alexander & Pierskalla, Jan & Schwarz, Elisa, 2020. "Natural disasters, aid distribution, and social conflict – Micro-level evidence from the 2015 earthquake in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    10. Zheng, Shiming & Yao, Rongrong & Zou, Ke, 2022. "Provincial environmental inequality in China: Measurement, influence, and policy instrument choice," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    11. Palash Kamruzzaman & Emmanuel Kumi, 2023. "Why national development experts are not included in development policy‐making and practice: The case of Ghana," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(2), March.
    12. Akurugu, Constance Awinpoka & Jatoe, Mathias Mwinlabagna & Domapielle, Maximillian Kolbe, 2021. "Empowering rural women for sustainable development through the provision of water infrastructure in north-western Ghana," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    13. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2018. "The political economy of maternal healthcare in Ghana," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-107-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    14. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2017. "Competitive clientelism and the political economy of mining in Ghana," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-078-17, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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