Review of Public Administration and Management

Abstract

Whole of Government Approach to Achieving National Development Goals: The Reform Managerial Roles and Processes in Ghana

Mohammed Ibn Mukhtar

The Commonwealth Secretariat proposes a new reform concept: ‘Whole of Government Approach [WoG] to achieving national development goals’ for Commonwealth African Governments. A critical analysis of the conception fails to differentiate it from existing ‘joined up government’ or ‘governance’. Despite being a matter of semantics, WoG builds its framework on three questions to differentiate it from the others and making it look unique. Situating Ghana’s Public Sector reform experience into administration reforms and development cooperation literature blended with a string of African cultural history the answers are constructed in Africanised context. This nascent WoG Approach granted its uniqueness, development partners’ overarching influence could hinder its progress as they have demonstrated with earlier reforms. Also, if it is to be Africanised to work, the leadership ought to identify, understand and communicate national relevant values and needs consistently with the governed.