Open AccessNGOs Activities and Local Government Spending in Upper West region of Ghana: Are they Complements or Substitutes?
Author(s) -
Muazu Ibrahim,
Paul Alagidede
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international review of philanthropy and social investment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2708-3322
pISSN - 2708-3314
DOI - 10.47019/irpsi.2020/v1n1a6
Subject(s) - local government , probit model , government (linguistics) , neglect , government spending , estimation , public economics , developing country , economics , development economics , economic growth , business , political science , public administration , welfare , medicine , market economy , linguistics , philosophy , nursing , management , econometrics
There is an increasing interest in the relationship between non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and local governments in terms ofsocial spending in developing countries. However, the current literature on NGOs and social spending, especially for those pertaining todeveloping countries and Ghana in particular, does not examine the extent to which NGOs’ presence shapes local authorities’ spendingon the provision of basic social amenities. This study examines NGOs’ presence on constituents’ opinion about local governmentsocial spending. Using the probit regression estimation approach, this study found that services provided by NGOs might be allowinglocal government authorities to change their spending patterns and priorities. Thus, the presence of NGOs tends to crowd-out socialspending in the Upper West region. To the extent that proliferation of NGOs lowers social spending, local government authoritiesmight also be taking advantage of NGOs operations to neglect their constitutionally mandated responsibility of providing basic socialamenities in their communities of practice. This article discusses key implications for policy.