For many years, the World Bank Group has implemented policies for economic development in African countries. The policies are geared towards creating good governance and improving investment climates. The Bank attempted to co-ordinate foreign direct investment from mainly Europe and United States. The body was structured to work through government ministries at inception. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture would be responsible for implementing investment agenda in agriculture. Similarly, investment in health sector would be co-ordinated by the Ministry of Health. Working through governmental ministries sounds like a wise idea. The assumption is that the officials in these ministries will establish top-down infrastructure, permeating the entire country.

In the 1970s, the 80s, and even in the 90s this used to happen. The more resources the Bank poured into the hands of the governments, the worse the problems they tried to solve became.
What went wrong? The Bank expected someone else to implement its vision. A fundamental truth is that no one can implement the vision of another. The ministers could not implement a vision which is not their own, in lieu of the vision of the Bank. When the ministers received the funding, they implemented their own vision and not that of the Bank.