Accounting for disasters: A cultural perspective

This paper examines the ways and manner in which disaster management stakeholders are involved and engaged in the rendering of disaster accountability in Ghana. Particularly, the paper attempts to explain the limited involvement and participation of sections of the public in the disaster accountability process by considering the influence of culture on disaster accountability and stakeholder involvement. To achieve the objectives of the study we adopt a qualitative, single case study of the coordinating body responsible for managing disasters in Ghana: National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). The study makes use of semi-structured face-to-face interviews and a review of publicly available documents in collecting data and adopts a largely inductive approach to data analysis. The study finds that an all-inclusive approach is adopted in defining disaster management roles and responsibilities for which accountability may be demanded. However, the level of inclusiveness varies with the nature and characteristics of the social actors, particularly the community. We find that compared to urban communities, rural communities are more responsive to stakeholder involvement efforts and have a preference for felt accountability. The urban communities, conversely, tend to be less responsive and have a preference for upward accountability. There is, therefore, evidence of the co-existence of both upward and felt accountability. We argue for a more adaptive approach to delivering disaster accountability that takes into account the cultural differences and accountability preferences of the stakeholder groups. We are, therefore, arguing for a fully adaptive accountability approach to adequately manage the tensions and contradictions present in the co-existence of upward and felt accountability.