I've done a bit more reading, particularly of some of the "cites" associated with the "Ghana trial" report [1]. What I found was that, even as recently as 2017 (maybe even 2018), clinical trial results have been published which support both sides of this debate.

I think the following (short) articles give a fairly good summary of the current state of play.

[4] Espay A. J., Lang A. E., Common Myths in the Use of Levodopa in Parkinson Disease - When Clinical Trials Misinform Clinical Practice, JAMA Neurology, June 2017, Volume 74, Number 6.
Common Myths in the Use of Levodopa in Parkinson Disease: When Clinical Trials Misinform Clinical Practice (PDF Download Available)

[5] Lim SY, Poewe W., Tan A. H., Levodopa and Parkinson Disease - Myths Revisited, JAMA Neurology, October 2017, Volume 74, Number 10.
[6] Espay A. J., Lang A. E., Levodopa and Parkinson Disease - Myths Revisited - Reply, JAMA Neurology, October 2017, Volume 74, Number 10.
Levodopa and Parkinson Disease—Myths Revisited—Reply (PDF Download Available)