Challenges in Integrating Demographic Variables into Local Government Authorities’ Development Plans

Abstract

This paper examines the Challenges in Integrating Demographic Variables into Local Government Authorities’ Development plans in Chemba and Mpwapwa district councils. The study population was LGA’s development planning officers. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design in which both qualitative and quantitative data from planning officers were collected. Descriptive statistics (Univariate analysis) was done to explore the characteristics and distribution of respondents presented in frequencies and percentages. Cross-tabulation with chi-square (χ²) test tested the association of variables at a 0.05 (95%) significance level. The study findings revealed that LGA planning officers face several challenges in integrating population variables into development plans. Such challenges are Institutional-based (Scarcity of data, lack of political commitment to the goal, limited access to computing facilities, and inadequacy of statistical sources. Resource-based (Unclear relevance of the move among development planners, Continuing discussions on the best ways can use population data in development planning, Lack of clear understanding of demographic variables that can be integrated into the development plans in different sectors, Inadequate conceptualization and understanding of the operation and effects of population variables, lack of sufficient expertise to prepare needed projection inputs). Planning process based  (Bureaucratic structures of centralized planning offices; create a barrier between planners and the public) Relying on secondary data from socio-economic profiles, too many directives (central government priories).Technical-based (unclear approaches of integrating population issues into development plans, lack of appropriate methodology, lack of planning and projection techniques, missing manual on the methodology, inadequate research into the many facets of the demographic processes and of their interrelations with other social and economic processes. The chi-square (²) test of the findings revealed no significant (P>0.05) statistical variation by LGAs on the faced challenges in integrating population variables into development plans.  The study concludes that institutional setup, resource constraints, the nature of the planning process,  and some technical issues affect LGA’s in coming up with effective and comprehensive development plans that cope with the area-specific aging population. The findings require the LGAs to consider putting more effort into the reliable sources of data, knowledge, and skills of planners, planning tools, and planning approaches in order to come up with good and realistic development plans that foster increasing local economic growth and improve the living standard of people; that slow down youth rural-urban migration due to low economic efficiency in their places of origin. The study recommends that LGAs in collaboration with the parent Ministry have to design the means of curbing the encountered planning challenges including improving awareness and sources of data for planning purposes, reviewing the planning approach by making it rather horizontal and comprehensive instead of being vertical from central government policies because obstacles and opportunities for development are area specific, and planners should get acquainted with methodologies for integrating population variables into development plans.