Public Administration in Africa
Performance and Challenges
Public Administration and Public Policy Series

With contributions from leading regional scholars, Public Administration in Africa: Performance and Challenges examines the complexities of the art of governance from the unique African perspective. The editors bring together a cohesive study of the major issues and regions by taking an analytic approach with the strong problem-solution application. Regions addressed range from South Africa, Congo, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius, and Botswana. Themes include colonialism, reform, poverty, economy, decentralization, financing, media, political structures, and more.

Beginning with an analysis of the relationship of policy design and its destination, service delivery, the book discusses the historical development of a state that has gone through upheavals in government and explores a decayed political economy that ultimately results in a need for sweeping measures. The text examines the issues emerging policy-makers in Africa must tackle, namely poverty and the denial or lack of resources to keep a dignified human life. It highlights how the media can be a catalyst for good governance and provides analytical aspects of implementing good governance reforms.

The book concludes with an examination of the concepts of decentralization and devolution in measuring service delivery performance and an exploration of Africa?s economic success story. It also details the African Peer Review Mechanisms in selected African countries and provides a holistic analysis of local government functioning in Africa. These features and more make it an interdisciplinary reference for diverse social, economic, political, and administrative issues.

Governance apparaturs in South Africa: From policy design to service delivery. Public administration in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Public sector reforms in Nigeria. Combating poverty in South Africa: Understanding the informal sector in the context of scarce opportunities. Media as a catalyst for good governance in South Africa: An expanded vision of public administration in the 21st Century. Implementing good governance reforms: Issues, experiences, and challenges in Ghana. Overview of the African peer review mechanism in selected African countries. Mauritus, Africa’s economic success story: An analysis of best practice and lessons learned. A comparative analysis of local government in Ghana and South Africa. Integrating traditional leadership structures with contemporary public administration machinery for innovative governance and improved service delivery.

Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad is Associate Professor at North West University in South Africa.

Tshombe Lukamba-Muhiya is Senior Lecturer at North West University in South Africa.

Ernest Peprah Abibio is Professor at North West University.