Leadership and Policy Implementation for Good Governance in Africa

Abstract

Leadership plays a critical role in achieving development goals, hence, when there are leadership gaps, development is decelerated, as is the situation in many African countries. Therefore, studying accountable governance practices in Africa must include looking at the roles of leaders and reflecting on the need for soundness in their governments' policies. They are required to understand the needs of the people, embrace the ethics of governance, and make policies that promote the common good through socio-economic empowerment, respect for human rights and dignity, and care for the environment. This chapter explores the role of leadership in policy implementation for good governance in Africa. The chapter puts forward the beginning of a possible framework for leadership and good governance in Africa and also introduces readers to the themes of this second volume of the book. The discussions herein (and in the whole book) provide practicable recommendations that can promote ethical governance for accountable leadership, for a sustainable Africa. We believe that understanding the leadership challenges in Africa’s public institutions in order to proffer solutions to them could be an important way to contribute to ensuring that leadership practices are ethical and accountable, and thus better suited for the development of African nations.KeywordsLeadershipPolicy implementationGood governanceAfricaDevelopment