Four African Development Plans: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania

Abstract

Since 1950, the rise of African national movements and the attainment of independence has been paralleled by an equally rapid growth in the number and scope of national development plans. Such a plan is viewed by almost all African states as one of the standard attributes of sovereignty.1True, economic planning preceded independence. Indeed Ghana (then the Gold Coast) had its first, 10-year economic plan in 1919, and the British adoption of colonial economic development planning as a desired standard policy dates back to 1939–40. However, the rapid postwar surge of colonial public expenditure plans was closely related to attempts first to counter the popularity of the nationalist movements and later to strengthen the economic infrastructure during the terminal colonial phrase prior to independence.2

Understanding variations in health insurance coverage in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania: Evidence from demographic and health surveys

“…The four countries were chosen for this study due their varying levels regarding health insurance coverage (Ghana: 38%, Tanzania: 16%, Kenya: 10%, and Nigeria: 3%), with the objective of understanding the variations in coverage. Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania were the first sub-Saharan African countries to launch developmental plans in the early 1960s, a time that most countries in the sub-region had just gained independence from colonial rule and were preparing themselves for socio-economic expansion [ 33 ]. Inherent in these development plans was health care delivery, which, for instance, led to the introduction of health insurance in Kenya and a free health care policy for the inhabitants in Ghana [ 34 , 35 ].…”

After the MDGs: From Social Development to Technoenterprise in Tanzania

“…Although development assistance continues to provide some 33% of government spending, 4 the changed context of economic opportunity in terms of demand for raw materials and expanding consumer markets opens up a range of policy solutions which are perceived by leadership to accelerate economic development. In 2011, the Government of Tanzania revived the institution of the Five Year National Development Plan, the defining policy instrument of post-independence African development (Green, 1965) which was abandoned during the post adjustment move to the PRS (United Republic of Tanzania, 2011). Described by policy technocrats as the means through which the PRS can be operationalised, the plan as a policy instrument, managed by a strengthened Planning Commission now located in the Office of the President, takes practical precedence over the PRS managed through the Poverty Eradication Division in the Ministry of Finance, effectively marginalising the previous approach to development as donor-supported prioritisation of social sectors financed through direct budgetary support (Gould, 2005;Harrison, 2002).…”

The Spread of Economic Doctrines and Policymaking in Postcolonial Africa

“…Colonial governments after the Second World War had been engaged in “colonial welfare and development” planning. In the postcolonial period, in light of the absence of qualified indigenous planners, both national governments and donors relied on expatriates (Green 1965). 4 Consequently, economists from the erstwhile colonial powers played a central role in the formulation of these first plans.…”