Kwamina Panford - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Kwamina Panford

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Prior to joining the league of petro-states in Africa and the world, Ghana was well known for two... more Prior to joining the league of petro-states in Africa and the world, Ghana was well known for two major resources: Cocoa beans, which are well liked and suitable for making excellent confectionery, chocolate in particular; and the yellow or original Eldorado—gold. In addition to these two items, Ghana produces a range of raw materials: industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, salt, and silver. With regard to the latter, for which Ghana is less renowned, it produced 3,900 kg in 2012. Silver production started in 1955 and peaked in the same year at 12,218 kg and reached its nadir in 1962 at 138.19kg.

IMF and World Bank Sponsored Structural Adjustment Programs in Africa, 2018

International Journal of African and Asian Studies, 2021

This paper has a dual purpose. First, it lays out the context: post-Cold War/ neo-liberal economi... more This paper has a dual purpose. First, it lays out the context: post-Cold War/ neo-liberal economic and political order through which western donors have indirectly become managers of African economic and governance institutions. As it were, African leaders have yielded responsibility for Africa's development to western donors (The Gist 1986 & Panford 2001). The second objective is to use Ghana to show why and how neo-liberal policies are not only expensive to implement but may have exacerbated Africa's problems wittingly or otherwise. These policies have diminished drastically Africa's capacity to rise and face 21 st century development challenges including massive youth unemployment; rising poverty; decaying infrastructure, massive technological deficits and rapidly accelerating income and wealth inequality (Konadu Agyemang & Panford 2006, Alston 2018 and Oxfam 2020).Key themes covered are prohibitively expensive legislatures in Africa including those of Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, and Kenya with excessive salaries and perks with confusing and malfunctioning hybrid of US Executive Presidency incongruent with a British Westminster (Parliamentary) system Ghana has sought to practice since 1992. This study demonstrates dysfunctional governance which it connects to economic mismanagement, corruption or outright looting. This study illustrates how despite being acclaimed a leader in democratic governance, Ghana displays a dearth of creative, smart and practical solutions to Africa/Ghana's problems. Lastly, we ask a contentious question: With excessive emphasis on elections and parliamentary systems, has Ghana or others "placed the cart before the horse," exhibited wrong priorities and can African democracies be built on weak economies and can they be sustainable?This paper applies cases ranging from the Presidency in Ghana, which is front loaded with excessive powers, an unwieldy huge cabinet of 111 Ministers (from 2017 to 2021); MPs doubling up as Cabinet members; the use of party manifestos instead of legally mandated national development plans and what the author designates "excessive and fatal partisanship" (Panford 2017) and failure to check excesses of political appointees, "hacks" or operatives. Cases cited include: a Maritime Development Authority Executive who blatantly insists that his 4-Bedroom house needs 14 not 11 air conditioners paid for by the public; Parliament being a mere rubber stamp to ruling parties' wishes and commands; and how an NDC majority ensured that oil was used as collateral for loans in passing Petroleum Revenue Management Act (2011) A major main conclusion is that Ghana 's unwieldy and expensive governance is a bulwark to development. Instead, the state detracts from meeting basic needs and tackling revolutionary economic and technological challenges like applying Artificial Intelligence, robotics, green energy and sophisticated manufacturing systems and 5G and 6G communications that will lift massive numbers of Ghanaians out of poverty.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Starting in January 1993, Ghana has, under the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, enjoyed a ... more Starting in January 1993, Ghana has, under the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, enjoyed a relatively successful period of multiparty government. Elections have been transparent, keenly contested, and at times have had close outcomes, with the winning political party triumphing by a margin of just 50,000 votes. All this makes the country one of the few bright spots in post-Cold War Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It has had five back-to-back successful presidential and parliamentary elections, some of which have led to the opposition replacing the incumbent government. Not only have presidential election outcomes been determined by only 50,000 votes but, more importantly, on 29 August 2013, when the Supreme Court ruled with a 5–4 majority that the NDC had won the 2012 elections, Ghana chalked up another impressive first. In spite of massive apprehension, the opposition and the entire nation peacefully accepted the court’s verdict.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Presented by Kwamina Panford, Department of African-American Studies, Northeastern University.

Even though Ghana’s commercial OG extraction is in its infancy, some conflicts have already occur... more Even though Ghana’s commercial OG extraction is in its infancy, some conflicts have already occurred while others are already brewing in the oil-producing coastal districts. There are also potentially more “hot spots” that might incite social turbulence if left unchecked or allowed to fester. Such conflicts could have a negative impact on communities near Jubilee Field which could spread to the Western Region and, ultimately, to the rest of the nation. This chapter provides an overview of these actual and potential conflicts both on- and off-shore in Ghana’s new oil-producing region.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

Scandinavian Journal of Development Alternatives and Area Studies, 1997

Africa: The Journal of the International African Institute, 2006

wider African experience, and in particular his knowledge of Hausa and Yoruba, to broaden the ran... more wider African experience, and in particular his knowledge of Hausa and Yoruba, to broaden the range of situations considered, he offers proverbs, riddles, praise poems, speeches and illustrations, weaving a colourful network of thoughts, richly illustrated and sifted through theories. The last lines confirm the power of the spoken word at the heart of societal transformation. Appendixes, index and photographs add further to the value and interest of the book.

Africa Development a Quarterly Journal of Codesria, 1994

Africa Today, 2014

This study advocates new roles, especially for public universities, to ensure socially productive... more This study advocates new roles, especially for public universities, to ensure socially productive uses of Ghana’s new petroleum resources. It stresses the urgent need for tertiary institutions to be engaged in this industry. Academics cannot sit on the fence or offer what-went-wrong analyses as they did in the past. This study advocates practical, smart public-policy solutions to challenges posed by oil, notably the absence of a well-articulated national vision or plan to train Ghanaians to promote substantial local content and prepare for legal, financial, health, environmental, and safety issues linked to petroleum production. The aim is to nudge academics to take some responsibility and initiative for appropriate petroleum policies, legislation, and practices that will work in and for Ghana to evade the proverbial resource curse, which afflicts most of Africa.

Africa Today, 2014

This is an exploratory study that serves as an inventory of petroleum skills, training, and educa... more This is an exploratory study that serves as an inventory of petroleum skills, training, and educational institutions in Ghana as of July 2012. It evaluates Ghanaians’ state of preparedness to perform competently, especially technical, professional, management, and supervisory jobs, through which the country can fulfill the expectations that the burgeoning oil and gas sector has raised. It examines the extent to which skills needed for the new petroleum sector exist and what is being done by training institutions and programs to make more nationals ready and able to perform oil and gas jobs. It discusses the roles of an overarching national development vision and plan and an appropriate policy framework to use petroleum resources to generate jobs for indigenous Ghanaians as one of the most powerful antidotes for the resource curse. By providing a baseline for future studies, it contributes to the crafting of policies and legislation to optimize the use of hydrocarbons in Ghana and the rest of Africa.

Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 1994

Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 1997

... Industrialism and Industrial Man (IIM) byClark Kerr, John Dunlop, Frederick Harbison and Char... more ... Industrialism and Industrial Man (IIM) byClark Kerr, John Dunlop, Frederick Harbison and Charles Myers is a classic in comparative labour studies.The central thesis of this book has become known as the "convergence ... The Acheampong military regime, which replaced Busia, ...

The International Journal of African Historical Studies, 2001

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Prior to joining the league of petro-states in Africa and the world, Ghana was well known for two... more Prior to joining the league of petro-states in Africa and the world, Ghana was well known for two major resources: Cocoa beans, which are well liked and suitable for making excellent confectionery, chocolate in particular; and the yellow or original Eldorado—gold. In addition to these two items, Ghana produces a range of raw materials: industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, salt, and silver. With regard to the latter, for which Ghana is less renowned, it produced 3,900 kg in 2012. Silver production started in 1955 and peaked in the same year at 12,218 kg and reached its nadir in 1962 at 138.19kg.

IMF and World Bank Sponsored Structural Adjustment Programs in Africa, 2018

International Journal of African and Asian Studies, 2021

This paper has a dual purpose. First, it lays out the context: post-Cold War/ neo-liberal economi... more This paper has a dual purpose. First, it lays out the context: post-Cold War/ neo-liberal economic and political order through which western donors have indirectly become managers of African economic and governance institutions. As it were, African leaders have yielded responsibility for Africa's development to western donors (The Gist 1986 & Panford 2001). The second objective is to use Ghana to show why and how neo-liberal policies are not only expensive to implement but may have exacerbated Africa's problems wittingly or otherwise. These policies have diminished drastically Africa's capacity to rise and face 21 st century development challenges including massive youth unemployment; rising poverty; decaying infrastructure, massive technological deficits and rapidly accelerating income and wealth inequality (Konadu Agyemang & Panford 2006, Alston 2018 and Oxfam 2020).Key themes covered are prohibitively expensive legislatures in Africa including those of Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, and Kenya with excessive salaries and perks with confusing and malfunctioning hybrid of US Executive Presidency incongruent with a British Westminster (Parliamentary) system Ghana has sought to practice since 1992. This study demonstrates dysfunctional governance which it connects to economic mismanagement, corruption or outright looting. This study illustrates how despite being acclaimed a leader in democratic governance, Ghana displays a dearth of creative, smart and practical solutions to Africa/Ghana's problems. Lastly, we ask a contentious question: With excessive emphasis on elections and parliamentary systems, has Ghana or others "placed the cart before the horse," exhibited wrong priorities and can African democracies be built on weak economies and can they be sustainable?This paper applies cases ranging from the Presidency in Ghana, which is front loaded with excessive powers, an unwieldy huge cabinet of 111 Ministers (from 2017 to 2021); MPs doubling up as Cabinet members; the use of party manifestos instead of legally mandated national development plans and what the author designates "excessive and fatal partisanship" (Panford 2017) and failure to check excesses of political appointees, "hacks" or operatives. Cases cited include: a Maritime Development Authority Executive who blatantly insists that his 4-Bedroom house needs 14 not 11 air conditioners paid for by the public; Parliament being a mere rubber stamp to ruling parties' wishes and commands; and how an NDC majority ensured that oil was used as collateral for loans in passing Petroleum Revenue Management Act (2011) A major main conclusion is that Ghana 's unwieldy and expensive governance is a bulwark to development. Instead, the state detracts from meeting basic needs and tackling revolutionary economic and technological challenges like applying Artificial Intelligence, robotics, green energy and sophisticated manufacturing systems and 5G and 6G communications that will lift massive numbers of Ghanaians out of poverty.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Starting in January 1993, Ghana has, under the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, enjoyed a ... more Starting in January 1993, Ghana has, under the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, enjoyed a relatively successful period of multiparty government. Elections have been transparent, keenly contested, and at times have had close outcomes, with the winning political party triumphing by a margin of just 50,000 votes. All this makes the country one of the few bright spots in post-Cold War Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It has had five back-to-back successful presidential and parliamentary elections, some of which have led to the opposition replacing the incumbent government. Not only have presidential election outcomes been determined by only 50,000 votes but, more importantly, on 29 August 2013, when the Supreme Court ruled with a 5–4 majority that the NDC had won the 2012 elections, Ghana chalked up another impressive first. In spite of massive apprehension, the opposition and the entire nation peacefully accepted the court’s verdict.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

Presented by Kwamina Panford, Department of African-American Studies, Northeastern University.

Even though Ghana’s commercial OG extraction is in its infancy, some conflicts have already occur... more Even though Ghana’s commercial OG extraction is in its infancy, some conflicts have already occurred while others are already brewing in the oil-producing coastal districts. There are also potentially more “hot spots” that might incite social turbulence if left unchecked or allowed to fester. Such conflicts could have a negative impact on communities near Jubilee Field which could spread to the Western Region and, ultimately, to the rest of the nation. This chapter provides an overview of these actual and potential conflicts both on- and off-shore in Ghana’s new oil-producing region.

Africa’s Natural Resources and Underdevelopment, 2017

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

Scandinavian Journal of Development Alternatives and Area Studies, 1997

Africa: The Journal of the International African Institute, 2006

wider African experience, and in particular his knowledge of Hausa and Yoruba, to broaden the ran... more wider African experience, and in particular his knowledge of Hausa and Yoruba, to broaden the range of situations considered, he offers proverbs, riddles, praise poems, speeches and illustrations, weaving a colourful network of thoughts, richly illustrated and sifted through theories. The last lines confirm the power of the spoken word at the heart of societal transformation. Appendixes, index and photographs add further to the value and interest of the book.

Africa Development a Quarterly Journal of Codesria, 1994

Africa Today, 2014

This study advocates new roles, especially for public universities, to ensure socially productive... more This study advocates new roles, especially for public universities, to ensure socially productive uses of Ghana’s new petroleum resources. It stresses the urgent need for tertiary institutions to be engaged in this industry. Academics cannot sit on the fence or offer what-went-wrong analyses as they did in the past. This study advocates practical, smart public-policy solutions to challenges posed by oil, notably the absence of a well-articulated national vision or plan to train Ghanaians to promote substantial local content and prepare for legal, financial, health, environmental, and safety issues linked to petroleum production. The aim is to nudge academics to take some responsibility and initiative for appropriate petroleum policies, legislation, and practices that will work in and for Ghana to evade the proverbial resource curse, which afflicts most of Africa.

Africa Today, 2014

This is an exploratory study that serves as an inventory of petroleum skills, training, and educa... more This is an exploratory study that serves as an inventory of petroleum skills, training, and educational institutions in Ghana as of July 2012. It evaluates Ghanaians’ state of preparedness to perform competently, especially technical, professional, management, and supervisory jobs, through which the country can fulfill the expectations that the burgeoning oil and gas sector has raised. It examines the extent to which skills needed for the new petroleum sector exist and what is being done by training institutions and programs to make more nationals ready and able to perform oil and gas jobs. It discusses the roles of an overarching national development vision and plan and an appropriate policy framework to use petroleum resources to generate jobs for indigenous Ghanaians as one of the most powerful antidotes for the resource curse. By providing a baseline for future studies, it contributes to the crafting of policies and legislation to optimize the use of hydrocarbons in Ghana and the rest of Africa.

Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 1994

Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 1997

... Industrialism and Industrial Man (IIM) byClark Kerr, John Dunlop, Frederick Harbison and Char... more ... Industrialism and Industrial Man (IIM) byClark Kerr, John Dunlop, Frederick Harbison and Charles Myers is a classic in comparative labour studies.The central thesis of this book has become known as the "convergence ... The Acheampong military regime, which replaced Busia, ...

The International Journal of African Historical Studies, 2001