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Accountability in
Government
(Rich and Poor Countries contrasted)
By
Charles Blankson, Ph.D
There is a sharp contrast in how elected officials are viewed by
their respective electorates in the advanced industrialized
(rich) countries and in Third World (poor) countries. In this
brief essay I will attempt to describe how accountability is
achieved in rich countries and indirectly identify the lessons
that can be learned for the benefit of a country like Ghana. The
writer believes that the differences in the "roles" perceived
and expected from the electorates between the two sets of
countries could very well provide an answer to the following
question. Why is it that in some countries problems get solved,
projects get completed in reasonable time and perform well after
completion, and people's lives improve from year to year, while
in the other countries, problems never get solved? To illustrate
the latter situation, one may ask why e.g., a road project that
should take at the longest one year to complete takes four years
to complete and soon thereafter starts deteriorating?
For simplicity, in this essay, I will use the U.S.A. and
specifically California to represent the advanced industrialized
rich countries and Ghana to represent the poor countries. This
is because I know these "states" best. In California, elected
officials, be they city council persons, mayors, congresspersons
or even presidents are held accountable by their constituents.
From time to time citizens or constituents get to weigh in on
their elected officials to let the latter know how they are
perceived in terms of responsiveness and effectiveness on the
job.
In California, generally speaking, city council meetings are
held every two weeks or so and meetings are open to the public.
There is a public forum period at the end of every city council
meeting during which citizens can pose questions to their
elected officials. City department heads can also be summoned to
these meetings for questioning. In cases where questions and
problems persist regarding the performance of a particular city
department, the department heads or the workers involved can be
relieved of their jobs.
Every time that congress or the legislature is on vacation,
congresspersons go to their respective homes. Once or twice
during this period they will hold town hall meetings. During
these meetings they get to know first hand what issues and
problems are pertinent. They brainstorm together regarding
possible solutions. Apart from these visits, the state and
federal officials normally have two offices, one in their home
state and the other in the state or federal capital where they
serve. These offices are accessible to their constituents. Their
contact information, e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses,
websites, office addresses, etc. are widely publicized. Finally,
elections at city, state and federal levels are held every two,
four or six years where ultimate accountability is exercised.
Those officials that are found to be responsive to the needs of
their constituents are returned to power and those found wanting
are voted out. These are the true "public servants".
The above scenario stands in sharp contrast to the situation in
poor countries, where accountability may be said to be virtually
non-existent. There are few times when elected officials are
seen in their constituencies. The few times when elected
officials have any serious interaction with their constituents
are the months leading to the general elections which are
generally held every four years. In the very corrupt countries,
the elected officials of the government in power do not even
make any pretense towards having any serious interaction with
their constituents because the elections are going to be rigged
anyway to return them to power whether or not they perform well.
In Ghana, we do not hold our elected officials accountable.
Government officials are by and large "seat fillers or seat
warmers". More often than not we see them at political rallies
or sometimes in nice suits being chauffeured in their
air-conditioned limousines between their homes and offices or
rushing off to meetings. When serious problems like street
flooding occurs during heavy downpours of rain, the respective
ministers or their deputies regurgitate meaningless and worn
phrases like "the government will solve this problem once and
for all". Yet the same problems persist year after year,
government after government, decade after decade. In the
meantime the streets continue to be riddled with gaping
potholes. The gutters collect grime and waste water. Streets are
dirty, littered with empty plastic water bags. Streets are
flooded whenever it rains. Alleys become public roadways for
vehicles. Potable water is scarce outside the major cities and
towns. People continue to build anywhere without regard to
public access. You see palatial mansions sitting in the middle
of nowhere with mud tracks passing for roadways leading to these
monuments of self-aggrandizement. Finding places or giving
directions continues to be a nightmare. The following is
typical: "My house is the gray building at the corner of the
street leading to the police station in Teshie!" The absence of
decent public places of convenience forces people to ease
themselves in alleys and behind houses and in the coastal areas,
the once-pristine beaches become places of convenience.
In conclusion, governments come and go in poor countries, by and
large. The despots, like Robert Mugabe, never go. However.
simple but serious problems that need to be given attention by
government get short shrift. The writer strongly believes that
if elected government officials were held accountable, as public
servants should, using some of the processes and procedures that
are being used in the rich countries described above, we would
be able to get them to do the work for which they were elected.
In other words, we will begin to see hospitals, schools,
libraries, roads, bridges, sewage systems, clean water and
energy projects, etc., duly completely and working as expected.
We will also begin to see procedures for processing new business
applications, passports, driver's licenses, land registration,
etc., being streamlined to eliminate opportunities for graft.
These are some of the elements of good governance. That is how
conditions in a country improve.
Charles C. T. Blankson, Ph.D.
Urban, Regional & Environmental Planning,
Currently residing in California, U.S.A.
January 10, 2011
11697 Malagon Drive
Fontana, CA 92337-0924, U.S.A. cblankson@sbcglobal.net
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