Challenges to Integration of Information Technology in Physical Infrastructure Development Processes at the Local Government Level

TL;DR

This paper examines the challenges faced in integrating information technology into local government infrastructure development in Ghana, highlighting issues like slow progress, funding shortages, and governance complexities.

Contribution

It provides an assessment of e-governance challenges in Ghana's local infrastructure development, emphasizing the need for refined practices to improve implementation.

Findings

Slow progress of ICT4AD implementation

Funding constraints hinder infrastructure projects

Governance and coordination issues persist

Abstract

Ghana's Decentralization Policy has made significant contribution in infrastructural implementation and delivery through Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as an alternative development strategy to ensure the implementation of the overall national agenda. To date, many systems and strategies have been implemented towards improving development of infrastructure at the local government level. Given that initiation and implementation of infrastructural development at the local level involves the multi-institutional participation of various stakeholders in local governance for effective monitoring and development, several governance forms including e-governance have been initiated towards improvement and effective management of the assemblies. E-Governance through the use of relevant Information and Communication Technology has been implemented through the Government Policy on Information and Communications Technology for Accelerated Development as a catalyst to facilitate the cross-sectoral participation in the implementation of infrastructural development. Unfortunately, to date, the ICT4AD does not appear to be successfully on course having been in existence for over a decade. Similarly, the development and monitoring of the physical infrastructure at the local level continue to suffer several setbacks and it is currently clearly evident that a refined system of best practices must be put in place to simplify and harmonize the entire development process. This paper is aimed at the assessment of the challenges of e-governance in infrastructural development at the local government level in Ghana. Using a mixed approach with purposive sampling, data gathered from the MMDAs in Ashanti Region suggest that the entire programme has been very slow; bedeviled with lack of funding and