Connecting-Africa | Find publications

Advanced search

Find:


Title DECENTRALIZATION IN POST-DERG ETHIOPIA: ASPECTS OF FEDERAL-REGIONAL RELATIONS
Full text http://etd.aau.edu.et/dspace/handle/123456789/3734
Date 1998
Author(s) FENTA, MANDEFRO
Contributor(s) Dr. Meheret Ayenew
Abstract The term. decentralization means different things for different people and hence, several understandings are being used for the same term but none of the understandings offers comprehensive theoretical or methodological solutions that will help us determine how decentralization should be carried out. However, the different approaches provide important concepts and guidelines for determining and implementing decentralization policies as a strategy for development. Decentralization is understood to mean a good many things and as a result most governments like the idea of decentralization. However, most governments have not been successful in carrying out decentralization policies. Decentralization is believed to improve development activities by allowing lower levels of government agencies and the people at large in development planning and implementation. But these objectives have not been fully achieved by many governments since the important preconditions such as political commitment, availability and access to resources, capacity of implementing agencies, effective inter-organizational relations, and supplementary supports are not effectively fulfilled. The on-going decentralization policy in Ethiopia has introduced a major change in the political, economic and social systems of the country. The new decentralization policy is organized under federal form of government whereby the country has been divided into nine regional govern nts ~administrations under the umbrella of the Federal Government. The regions are delimited based on ethnic and language factors. As a result, the emerging regions are different in population, area, and economic and social infrastructure. Although authority and powers seem to be decentralized from the center to regional levels, the extent of decentralization to sub-regional units of government is not satisfactory. Moreover, the current decentralization is challenged by many problems such as low revenue bases for regional governments, very low administrative and manpower capacity both at thefederal and regional levels, and poor interorganizational relationships. The policy of current decentralization aims at promoting balanced regional development. However, the trend is not as it was thought to be, rather it aggravates regional development differences. Some regions like Tigray, Amhara, Oromia and SNNP are doing good whereas regions like Afar, Benishangul/Gumuez, Somali and Gambella are lagging behind the former regions.
Language en
Type of publication Thesis
Repository Addis Ababa - University of Addis Ababa
Added to C-A: 2014-01-07;14:51:05