Contents:General introduction:background and statement of the problem -- Relevance and justification -- Research objectives -- Research question -- Methodology -- Organization of the paper -- Limitations of the research -- Conceptual / analytical framework:Introduction -- Explanation of decentralization -- Theoretical benchmarks -- Practical application of the benchmarks -- Analyzing the benchmark -- Best practices -- Implementation of policy -- Political decentralization policy and practice in Ghana:introduction -- Political decentralization policy in Ghana:introduction -- Policy assessment against benchmarks -- Free, fair and regular election of councilors -- Pluralistic democracy (partisan versus nonpartisan) -- Local government autonomy verses central control -- Election verses appointment of mayors -- Civil society participation in local governance -- Practicing administrative decentralization in Ghana -- Fiscal decentralization in Ghana -- Findings, conclusions and recommendations.