A CALL FOR MORE RECREATIONAL CENTRES IN GHANA

Introduction:

Children as well as adults need recreation in their lives and this necessitates the need for recreational centres. Research has shown that recreation contributes to life satisfaction, quality of life, health and wellness, and that the use of recreation as a diversion may have clinical applications to individuals with chronic pain and other health impairments. Recreational activities are leisure time activities that a person takes part for amusement, pleasure or relaxation rather than as work. Recreational activities present a chance for physical and mental refreshment of the mind. 

With all these benefits derived from recreation, there are inadequate recreational centres and facilities in Ghana. Recreation has not been accorded the necessary importance it deserves in Ghana in relation to the provision of social and infrastructural amenities by the government. Areas earmarked for provision of recreational centres are randomly developed or neglected completely and in their place are unauthorised developments and encroachment for other land uses.

Increase in urbanization has resulted in housing problems where open spaces are now being developed to accommodate the increasing population. There is also the need to provide recreational facilities to cater for the populace. Drinking pubs are rapidly becoming an eminent recreational joint due to the inadequate recreation centres. The youth of today wrongly use their leisure time drinking and smoking. Due to the inadequacy of recreation centres people resort to commercial discotheques and cinema houses but the average person cannot afford to attend these commercial recreational areas because of high charges. The poor and the excluded also have the perception that recreation is only for the affluent and the well to do in society due to the high cost of recreation.  

Although people of all classes need recreation, little is being done to cater for recreational needs. People are left to find their own source of recreation at any cost. All these explain the relevance of recreation to human beings and that recreation is a necessity not a luxury.

Recommendations:

•          Education and Publicity

It is very important that people are educated on the subject of recreation. This is because people attach little or no importance to recreation partly because they have no knowledge on the benefits of recreation. There are certain people who abuse recreation and indulge in certain acts which are not acceptable in the society. Certain faction of people have the motive recreation is about drinking alcohol, smoking and engaging in acts of sexual promiscuity. They are therefore to be educated to erase the uncultured notion and taught that recreation is about freely chosen participation in socially acceptable pursuits that revitalize the mind, body, and spirit, promoting societal well being.

•          Accessible

It should be obligatory that all recreational facilities are sited at very accessible and easy to reach places for maximum utilization of the facilities. These facilities should be made close to the communities and busy areas for high patronage.

•          Environmentally and Human Friendly

Recreational centres should be environmentally and human friendly. Dustbins and places of convenient should be provided at these centres to cater for waste materials. Recreational centres should be equipped with the requisite facilities that will attract people to these centres. Also, security should be tightened at these centres to avoid drug barons, lunatics and stray animals from taking over recreational centres as their place of abode.

•          Effective Monitoring Mechanisms

There must be a routine monitoring by authorities to ensure early detection of unauthorised developments. Places demarcated as public open spaces should be strictly adhered to and enforced to reduce and if possible eliminate the occurrence of unauthorized structures taking over demarcated public open spaces. 

Conclusion:

Recreation and recreational centres are credited with lots of advantage to users and as well operators of these centres. Therefore, there is the need for maximum attention to improve existing facilities at recreational centres and also new ones identified and developed.

TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA

Background:

Development is a process, not a program. Development can be stimulated, directed or assisted by government policies, laws and special programs, but it cannot be compelled or carried out by administrative or external agencies on behalf of the population. Development strategy should therefore aim to release people’s initiative, not to substitute for it.

Traditional authorities are considered as the heads of communities in Ghana and have diverse roles to play in development. Long before the formation of modern-day nation states, Africans had their own governance systems which met the needs of the people. To some people, the African chieftaincy institution is archaic, autocratic and irrelevant in contemporary polity. In Ghana, the chieftaincy institution is not a “one-man creature”; however, its leadership is selected by an authorized means. Precisely, in the Akan communities, the processes of nomination, election and enstoolment are a family matter.

It is because of the immense influence chiefs wield over their people that the constitution places them above partisan politics. Although the 1992 constitution requires that traditional authorities be consulted on the composition of the one-third government appointees to the district assemblies, they are normally ignored. It is essential for chiefs to be accorded the necessary recognition because they are the rallying platform to plan, initiate and execute policies and projects in respect of all matters affecting people in order to deepen the decentralisation process.

Good governance and sound public management are preconditions for the implementation of development policies. These preconditions include efforts to ensure an ethical and more transparent government process, as well as decision-making practices sufficiently open to citizens. Good governance therefore seeks to satisfy economic, political and administrative demands of a society. Traditional leaders, if well engaged and managed, can contribute effectively to state governance through effective economic, political and administrative policies.

The role of traditional authorities in Ghana, as can be observed, has been undergoing change (gradually diminishing) as the democratic dispensation within the country develops. However, traditional authorities as an institution are important to the design and implementation of development projects within their areas of jurisdiction. It is generally held that multi-sectoral development strategies usually need to include traditional leadership as one of the key sectors in order to increase the likelihood of success. Indeed, traditional rulers perceive their role as being primarily initiators of development or catalysts of development processes. They are aware of the fact that their functions have been transformed from serving in merely political, military and ritual capacity that derives from their traditional role as moral and social leaders.

Challenges:

Traditional authorities face a variety of challenges in their attempt to embark on development projects and programmes. The challenges include:

• Ill-defined relationship between chiefs and local government units. A review of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana shows that there is lack of specificity in the nature of consultations with chiefs. There is institutional weakness in institutional anchoring of chiefs. Also, relationship is restricted to consultations on land release and participation in ceremonial functions;

• Non-existence of structured and formalised arrangement to foster partnership between traditional councils and the local government units;

• Lack of political will and commitment on the part of government. Perhaps the inadequate provision from the side of law was as a result of lack of the will from the side of central political authority (governments) since they see chiefs as competitors rather than partners; and

• Chieftaincy disputes.

The Way Forward:

The turn-around in Ghana’s fortunes which has come about with the new century, offers the opportunity to achieve faster the goals of development policies. But the march of history and ideas also moves us to consider whether the entirely goals have come within our grasp, or that our priorities should be substantially re-ordered. In resolving this, the following recommendations are presented:

• Development should factor into account recommendations and demands of local authorities. The inputs of traditional societies should be sought before development projects are institutionalized as this would ensure a fuller corporation of the communities. This obviously would lead to development by, for and with the people.

• Achieving development should see political leadership adopting an all inclusive governance system that integrate all including and not limited to traditional leadership and societies, civil societies and development partners.

• Government should strengthen traditional leadership through the regional and national houses of chiefs to ensure the promotion of peace and settlement of chieftaincy disputes. The judiciary can also be tasked to deal effectively and quickly with chieftaincy disputes in order to safeguard the chieftaincy institution. This would facilitate the existence and effectiveness of the institution.

• Government should properly define the relationship between chiefs and local government units in the Constitution of Ghana to foster development in sustainable way;

• Traditional leadership should not meddle in politics but rather in effective governance of their communities and the state. Chiefs and their council of elders should not be seen in party paraphernalia as well as partaking in party political campaigns. By respecting their boundaries in politics would prevent situations where they fall into the dark side of parties in power. The chief’s authority is primarily vested in his people and he should therefore be primarily responsive to the needs of his subjects. When such a desirable interface between traditional leadership and state machinery is created, it would further enhance strides for cooperation, growth and development of human societies; and

• Traditional authorities, for them to be effective and productive, should be fair and honest in dealing with their people. 

Conclusion:

Traditional leadership in Ghana has survived into the modern era and is guaranteed by the constitution. Although as an institution it seems to have lost aspects of its power. There is therefore the need to modify itself and adapt its functions in order to play a key role in providing the developmental needs of the communities where it operates. This can be done through advocacy, collaboration with donor agencies, central government organs as well as identifying innovative usage for revenue generated within the community. Traditional leadership, when properly exercised, will provide extra security in guaranteeing the fundamental human rights, particularly of the marginalized members of the community. Thus it is a useful model that could be adopted, appropriately adapted and deployed in the quest for alternative methods for development.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROVISION: AN INCREASINGLY PROMINENT DISCOURSE

Introduction:

Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. It can be generally defined as the set of interconnected structural elements that provide framework supporting an entire structure of development. It is an important term for judging a country or region's development. This view is supported by Arasu (2008) that infrastructure is an umbrella term for many activities referred to as “social overhead capital” by such development economists as Nurkse, Rosentein-Rodan and Hirschman.

Infrastructure and Development:

Infrastructure is an important element in policy making spheres and debates. The links between  infrastructure  and  economic  growth  are  widely  studied  and  the  elements within  infrastructure  for  development  include:  access  to  roads,  access  to water  and sanitation,  electricity,  telecommunication,  housing,  ports  and  airports (Fay  and Morrison,  2006). Development is a  highly  contested  term (Sánchez, n.d). Development of a country to a large extent can depend on the level of infrastructure that the country has, as infrastructure acts as the wheels that propel economic growth, reduce poverty and sustain the environment. It is important that the services provided need to respond to effective and efficient demand as service is the goal and measure of a country’s development. Economic development can occur if a country has a certain level of infrastructure development, like roads, telecommunication and potable water supply among others. The adequacy of infrastructure helps determine a country’s success or failure which is usually assessed using the diversification of production, expansion in trade, and how population growth is coped with to reduce poverty and improve environmental conditions.

It is important to note that, good infrastructure has the potential of raising productivity and lowering production costs, but it has to expand fast enough to accommodate growth. For example, the provision of transportation infrastructure can lower the cost a farmer has to bear to send his produce to the market. Again infrastructure provision should be able to meet the demand of society (households), firms and businesses and government. It has also been reported that as a country’s income increases the amount of infrastructure increases in turn. According to World Bank (1994), an increase in 1% in per capita GDP led to total stock of infrastructure by 1%, household access to safe water also increased by 0.3%, power by 1.5%, telecommunication by 1.7%. It is therefore evident from the foregoing that infrastructure provides higher pay off to economic growth.

However, the relationship between infrastructure and economic development has been contested within infrastructure's impact on economic development. The relationship between infrastructure and economic development is quite complex.  Although infrastructure development is important and necessary for industrial take-off and economic growth, the desire for growth does not necessarily mean higher or increased need for infrastructure and more infrastructure does not necessarily guarantee more economic growth (Romp and de Haan, 2005).

Kessides (1993) suggests that the absence of certain infrastructure can retard growth, thus provision of infrastructure directly affects the earning capacity of the locality looking at two time frames of when there was no infrastructure compared to the presence of some infrastructure e.g. communication, transport and power can bring about growth in an economy. This view suggests that the presence of the infrastructure is directly linked to the growth in the area under study. On the other hand, Ajibola et al (2013) establishes that infrastructure provision alone cannot bring about economic growth except other factors like locational factorsshould be taken into consideration in assessing the development of an area.

According to World Development Report of 1994 (World Bank, 1994), some sectorial studies covering 85 districts in 13 India states found that the provision of rural infrastructure specifically transport and irrigation helped lower transport cost which led to farmers having greater access to markets, and led to higher yields with banks lowering cost of borrowing to farmers which permitted the farmers to purchase fertilisers to increase productivity in addition to the good weather and soil fertility. It is therefore apparent that there is a strong relationship between the existence of infrastructure (e.g. transport, power and safe water) and per capita GDP.

Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability:

Infrastructure development is not simply about wealth creation but more on protecting the environment. In a broader sense, it is caring for people and their quality of life for both present and future generations (Environmental Agency, 2000). Infrastructure provision looks at the interaction between activities performed by humans and the place of performance which is the natural environment e.g. mining, electricity, irrigation, road construction, farming, water, etc. This further established the fact that people need to engage in these economic activities to raise productivity and enhance their standard of living, but it is important that the necessary environmental measures are put in place to sustain the environment.

The relationship between infrastructure provision and environment is complex and would need to be assessed well through Environmental Assessments. This takes care of environmental issues, carried out on every large project particularly posse serious risk to the environment and efforts should be made to mitigate these impacts. Example of these projects are re-construction of the Accra-Kumasi Road, Akosombo Dam, Resettlement Project, Bui Dam and the rail way from Accra to Paga.  Particular dangers associated with infrastructure project include the following:

• Pollution from sewerage from upstream can pollute downstream water used for drinking by those downstream, which can result in diseases like typhoid, cholera and others;

• Poor management of solid waste.-breeding ground for mosquito would cause malaria; and

• Toxic and hazardous waste from high industrialisation. Asia is estimated to exceed Europe and U.S by 2005 in sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions- which are unacceptable by the Kyoto standards.

The MDG 7 on ensuring environmental sustainability plays a key role in several of the other MDG’s. For example, it is an important component of MDG 4 on reducing child mortality since about 40% of under-five death are caused by diseases associated with environmental factors such as air pollution or consumption of unsafe water. It is also a significant factor in MDG 6-combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases since water related infrastructure and waste management affects mosquito breeding (UNICEF, 2006). It is necessary to integrate environmental effects into infrastructure investment decisions. This may involve a number of activities which include:

• Identification of negative environmental consequences from production or consumption from environmental services and having alternative ways of services delivery;

• Checking the magnitude of the project (small projects should be preferred to larger ones); and

• The use of technology should suit the environment and the context.

It is therefore relevant to consider environmental impact in providing any type of infrastructure to minimise the effects on the environment and where possible avoid degradation.

Infrastructure and Poverty Reduction:

Poverty has so many dimensions, in addition to low income (living on less than $1 a day), poor settlements have distinct features ranging from malnutrition, illiteracy, ill-health, insecurity, sense of isolation and powerlessness and environmental degradation (Green, 2012). In terms of infrastructure, the poor may be defined as those who are subject to unsanitary conditions and surroundings, those who do not have access to good health, those who are unable to consume clean water and those with limited communication which may lead to fewer employment opportunities and loss of economic opportunity.

Infrastructure is important for ensuring that growth is consistent with poverty reduction (Asian Development Bank, 2012). This is because most people live in rural areas where farmers as well as non-farm workers depend on a type of infrastructure. For instance, in China when rural commercial enterprises were given transport, power and telecommunication at the village level these enterprises were able to employ 100 million which represent 18% of the labour force and lead them to produce a third of the national output (Asian Development Bank, 2012). 

Different Types of Infrastructure and their Effects:

According to Calderón and Servén (2004), Infrastructure development can also have a disproportionate impact on the human capital of the poor, and hence on their job opportunities and income prospects. This refers not only to education, but most importantly to health.In a recent cross-country study, Leipziger et al (2003) found that a 10 percent increase in an index of water and sanitation leads to a reduction of child and infant mortality by 4-5 percent, and maternal mortality by 8 percent. Thus, such infrastructure improvement may save 9 children under 5 years old (for each 1,000 live births) and nearly 100 mothers (for each 100,000 live births) for a poor country like Central African Republic.

Brenneman and Kerf (2002) summarize some recent evidence on these impacts. Regarding education, a better transportation system and a safer road network help raise attendance to schools. Again, transport expands opportunities for non farm employment in rural areas and raises productivity which in turn raises incomes. Electricity also allows more time for study and the use of computers (Leipziger et al. 2003). In Argentina, for example, a recent study by Galiani et al. (2002) concludes that expanded access to water and sanitation has reduced child mortality by 8 percent, with most of the reduction taking place in low income areas where the expansion in the water network was the largest.

Infrastructure construction and maintenance has gone a long way to reduce poverty in Botswana and India and increased incomes (Fosu, 2010). In Ghana improved rural road travel reliability introduced by Department of Feeder Roads was in the bid to have the added impact of expanding access to social services and employment opportunities especially to women and to those living in poverty (Ministry of Roads and Highways, 2012).

Conclusion:

Generally, the literature review has introduced infrastructure provision as an increasingly prominent discourse in both developed and developing countries. It is important to note that, good infrastructure has the potential of raising productivity and lowers production costs, but it has to expand fast enough to accommodate growth. In contrast to infrastructure advantages, it is relevant to consider environmental impact in providing any type of infrastructure to minimize the effects on the environment and where possible avoid degradation.

Conclusively, it must however be emphasized that infrastructural provision is not necessarily only green-wash. There are exceptions to the general trends considered above and furthermore, the benefits and prospects associated with infrastructural provision do represent important development contributions. In that regard, it is recommended that providers draw a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan, and commit the required financial and human resources to monitoring and evaluation. Also, all stakeholders should also ensure that payments are made for the maintenance of facilities as this will help sustain the infrastructure and consequently reduce poverty and enhance overall development.