Governance of forest plantation development in selected forest districts in the ecological transition zone of Ghana.

Abstract

In the world today, anticipated ecological and economic gains of natural resources have become uncertain mainly due to the complexity and weaknesses of governance. The forest sector in Ghana has, over the years, focused on Forest Plantation Development (FPD) to reverse the phenomenon of deforestation and forest degradation. However, governance remains a challenge due to poor application of principles and diverse interests of stakeholders. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the application of principles and challenges of governance in FPD in Ghana as a complex system. The study gathered primary data through questionnaires and structured interviews from a sample of 253 stakeholders, with three expert group discussions. The study area was eight forest districts in the ecological transition zone of Ghana. The results confirmed that strong interconnectivity of the governance principles ensures high stakeholder satisfaction as an expected outcome of governance in FPD. However, transparency, participation, consensus building, accountability and rule of law were weak in FPD due to limited consultation of stakeholders in planning and decision making processes at all levels. Direction was the highest applied governance principle for all stakeholders as a result of high commitment and support for the continuity of the FPD programme. The study recommends that government ensures that the tenets of good governance principles permeate the whole FPD governance system, and promote networks and partnerships amongst stakeholders, forming a comprehensive communication platform for stakeholder interactions with the areas of connectivity.