Paper short abstract:

Drawing on archival data and the author's participant observation of four Government of Ghana Ministries, this paper explores how funding delays, personal pressures, and the relationships between ministers and senior bureaucrats impact bureaucratic effectiveness.

Paper long abstract:

There is a growing body of literature on bureaucratic pockets of effectiveness, much of which is focused on Ministries of Finance. However, less is known about how effectiveness is promoted or challenged in other government ministries. This paper presents insights from the author's participant observation of four Government of Ghana Ministers and their senior bureaucratic staffs: Local Government and Rural Development; Tourism; Youth and Sports; and Roads and Highways. Archival data from the Office of the Head of Civil Service indicates that these ministries are staffed by capable, well-educated bureaucrats, but bureaucratic effectiveness is hindered by competition between ministers and bureaucrats as well as politicians' and bureaucrats' own personal pressures (e.g., political finance, saving for retirement). Numerous political and bureaucratic interviewees also note that budget funds from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning--which many consider to be a pocket of effectiveness--are frequently delayed, further impacting their own ministries' effectiveness. Engaging with the actual demands faced by politicians and bureaucrats, this paper will explore how leaders can enhance bureaucratic effectiveness and offer recommendations for donors on supporting such leadership.