This paper critiques one of the notions that underpins Community–Driven Development (CDD) operations: which is that developing nations with high functioning intergovernment and public service sectors (decentralisation) are better placed to implement CDD programs. We draw on secondary data to explore the World Bank’s indicators for measuring a country’s decentralisation within the framework of our experience of Ghana’s local government system. We argue that the indicators are imprecise and have the potential of impacting negatively on implementation and outcomes of CDD programs. It is recommended that we look beyond constitutional provisions and one–dimensional indicators in the future to be able to make the surety claims that have been refuted in this paper. Finally, future researchers need to include a specific focus on issues affecting the functioning of the sub–structures of a country’s inter–government system. From this focus more realistic analysis of political systems can be drawn.