A Framework for Building a Responsive Local Government System in Sierra Leone: Integrating Felt Needs Fulfilment Model with the Hybridity of Paramount Chiefs
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Open in new tab Sierra Leone adopted decentralisation in 2004 following the enactment of the Local Government Act. After the 11 years brutal war of 1991 to 2002. Decentralisation was identified as a strategy to address some of the causes of the war. Since then, some progress there has been some in local governance. However, transparency, accountability and persistent development issues abound. As paramount chiefs embody massive social capital, this research uses the concept of hybridisation of the powers of paramount chiefs to enhance the institutional framework of the Sierra Leonean decentralisation system adopting Felt Needs Fulfilment (FNF) Model. Hybridity in this context is the integration of the liberal democratic state with the social capital of paramount chiefs in the governance system.
Research has shown that paramount chiefs was instrumental in how the state of Sierra Leone emerged and how it collapsed during the 11 years brutal war. A well-designed decentralisation programme helps to improve the performance of local governance institutions, improved service delivery, economic growth, poverty alleviation etc. Research further support that decentralisation promotes citizen participation, community ownership and social cohesion.
Decentralisation in Africa is a mainly donor driven consequently there is opposing interest between donors and national governments with donors aiming to promote their neo-liberal agenda to diminish the role and size of central government on one hand and national governments protecting their political party interests on the other. This tension negatively impacts the states potential to deepen democracy. Since the 1980, decentralisation has been a key policy agenda for the World Bank and UNDP for the global south. Local demographics and populations dynamics combined by the appropriate institutional framework, inter-government relationships positively impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of decentralisation. This means that a well-designed decentralisation programme in Sierra Leone will enhance the allocative and productive capacity of their local government system.
The research will adopt a qualitative approach involving a hybrid interpretivism where elite participants are identified and interviewed in addition to local stakeholders to assess the influence of the integration of paramount chiefs onto the local government architecture of Sierra Leone to further tap into their hybridity.Broadly, the research aims to further develop an institutional framework that promote local governance, social cohesion through inclusive citizens participation and economic development in Sierra Leone.
Sheku Ahmed Fofanah
Bath Spa University, England
Sheku lectures on the Business and Management programme, and he is the Lead for Knowledge Exchange at Bath Spa University London. He is a Governance and Public Sector Management scholar with interest in inter-disciplinary research, and a Fellow of the Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL). Sheku has worked for several years as Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer at the London School of Commerce, the Associate College of Cardiff Metropolitan University. He has more than 12 years’ experience in the higher education sector in the UK with doctoral level supervision and examination experience. He has Transnational Programme Development and Course Delivery experience.Prior to a career in academia, Sheku worked for several International Humanitarian organisations, both in the UK and in Africa. The organisations include Handicap International (HI), Oxfam GB, Matthew 6 Foundation and Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) which is now part of Save The Children UK. He is an Associate Professor at Yessenov University in Aktau, Kazakhstan. He aims to foster collaboration with international organisations promoting good governance across Africa and the developing world. He is research active and aims to publish in Scopus ranked journals. He has a working knowledge in French.
