Sport and sustainable social development in Ghana: analysing the policy-implementation gap

Figures & data

Figure 1. Institutional arrangement for implementing the SDGs in Ghana.

Source: NDPC (National Development Planning Commission) (2019).

Table 1. Matland’s ambiguity-conflict matrix of policy implementation.

Levels		Conflict
		Low level conflict	High level conflict
Ambiguity	Low Level Ambiguity	Administrative Implementation Key determinant: Resources Policy goals are well-defined Information flow is hierarchical Rational choice decisions are consistent with policies Not amenable to external/environmental influence Coercion and compliance are ensured Applicable to top-down approaches	Political Implementation Key determinant: Power Policy goals are clarified Compliance is contested by opposing actors Policies are negotiable with authorities Some implementing actors are favoured Applicable to top-down approaches
	High Level Ambiguity	Experimental Implementation Key determinant: External conditions Policy ambiguity is essential Depends on individual actor interpretation Depends on resources of implementing actors Learning is derived from successful implementation Applicable to bottom-up approaches	Symbolic Implementation Key determinant: coalition strength Policies are vague and ill-defined Little information about policy Coalition of local implementing actors with ample resources influence policy Applicable neither to the top-down and bottom-up approaches

Table 3. Participants for semi-structure interviews.

Empirical categories	Semi- structured interviews	FGD	Participants	Description
Policy making authorities	4 (all digital)*	–	4	Government officials
Implementing actors	13 (5 digital)*	–	13	Regional Sport Offices (n = 3), National (Para) Sport Federations (n = 6) and Sport for Development organisations (n = 4)
	–	3	15	District Sport Units (DSU)**
Total			32

*Digital interviews via zoom.

**DSU were selected from the same regions as the Regional Sport Committees.

Table 2. Sourced documents.

Documents	Publishing source (year)
Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report on the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development	National Development Planning Commission (2019) United Nations (2019)
SDGs Advisory Unit Annual Report	Office of the President of Ghana (2019)
Ministry of Youth and Sport: Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)	Ministry of Finance (2016–2020)
Formula for Sharing the District Assemblies Common Fund – Allocation statement	Parliament of Ghana Library Repository (2016–2020)
Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development	United Nations (2015)
Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II)	National Development Planning Commission (2003–2009)
Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDI-II)	National Development Planning Commission (2010–2017)
Ghana Millennium Development Goals Report	National Development Planning Commission (2006, 2008, 2010 and 2015)

NDPC (National Development Planning Commission). 2019. Ghana: Voluntary National Review Report on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Cantonments, Accra: National Development Planning Commission.

 Google Scholar