THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION OF TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES ON SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF THE AJUMAKOENYAN-ESIAM DISTRICT

ABSTRACT: This study sets out to examine impact of the current level of participation of traditionalauthorities in the District Assembly system on socioeconomic development in the Ajumako Enyan-Esiam Districtin particular and local governance throughout Ghana. Data used for the analysis were obtained throughqualitative approach and methods like semi-structured, focus group discussions, interviews and semi-structuredquestionnaire were used. The sampling procedure was generally purposive. The research design was a casestudy, partly descriptive, explorative and cross-sectional. The findings demonstrated a picture of low level ofparticipation of traditional authorities in local government in the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam District Assembly andits negative influence on the provision of development projects to the people. They also confirmed a deeply heldacceptance on the Traditional Authorities’ full participation in local governance. Again, the study found that,traditional authorities play several roles at the local level. These roles were identified as settling disputes andmanaging conflicts, soliciting and initiating development projects as well as mobilizing people for development,but their level of involvement in the District Assembly is negligible. The study recommends the full participationof traditional authorities in the planning, implementation and execution of projects in their various communitiesas a way of integrating the chieftaincy institution into the formal governance system to enhance socio-economicdevelopment.

Keywords–Development, District Assemblies, socioeconomic, Traditional Authority, localgovernance.