COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST FOR POLI 459: DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION, FIRST SEMESTER- 2019/2020 ACADEMIC YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

POLI 459: DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

FIRST SEMESTER, 2019/2020

DAY: Thursday

VENUE: JQB 9

            TIME: 1.30 pm - 3.20 pm

LECTURER: DR ABDULAI KUYINI MOHAMMED

OFFICE: Room 5, Department of Political Science

CONSULTATION: Thursday, 11 am -2 pm

Email: akmohammed@ug.edu.gh

Course Title	DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
Course Code	POLI 459
Course Description	Decentralization and local governance are crucial elements for success in development processes and in order to ensure that democratic political systems function correctly. Local and regional governments need to be able to rely on strong leadership abilities when it comes to these processes. This course highlights the crosscutting nature of decentralization by offering modules focused on macro, sectoral and governance issues. The course begins with an overview of the global experience and a framework for decentralization, examining the fiscal, political and administrative aspects of decentralization, expenditure and revenue assignment, and the design of intergovernmental relations and transfers. It also focuses on creating understanding of the significance of local government and the basic dynamics of the local government system. It provides the parameters for the study of any individual system and comparison among various local government systems. It also illuminates the direct and indirect roles of formal institutions of local government hierarchies, as well as the roles of informal norms, networks, community organizations, and neighbourhood associations in pursuing collective action by defining the framework for citizen-citizen and state-citizen interactions, collective decision making, and delivery of local public services. Finally, it examines recent thinking about decentralization and its impact on the good governance project, and participatory and inclusive local development.
Purpose and objectives	The course provides students with an understanding of government and decentralization models that underpin the roles and responsibilities which local governments are mandated to carry out. It enables them to appreciate the efficiency and effectiveness (or otherwise) with which local authorities execute that mandate to improve living conditions at the local level. It also helps them to understand the different conditions under which local government decisions must be made. In addition, it enables students to use a rational approach in the evaluation of decentralization reforms in Ghana and other jurisdictions. The course is a fundamental field of study for any student who is interested in public affairs and the role of local government in socio-economic development. At the end of this course student should be able to: Analyse the institutional contexts of decentralization with a specific focus on local development, gender and power relations; compare and contrast decentralized projects across jurisdictions and draw lessons from success and failure stories to inform decentralization policy reforms; Develop strategies to improve the involvement of different actors in local governance, natural resource management, and local economic development; understand the rationale behind common local public programs, the considerations for designing policies, and the potential problems in local public decision-making process; understand the intricacies in inter-governmental relations and propose measures to democratize central-local relations.
Week No.	Date	Lecture Course	Tutorials	Venue	Assessment
1	Aug. 22,  2019	Conceptualizing Local Government and Local Governance	Distinguish between local government and local governance	Lecture: JQB 9
2	Aug. 29, 2019	Perspectives on Local governance and Central-Local Relations	Examine the conceptual perspectives that underpin central government-local government relations	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
3	Sept.5, 2019	Models of Government and Roles and Responsibilities of Local Government	Assess the models of government and their associated local government responsibilities	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
4	Sept. 12, 2019	Nature and Scope of Decentralization	Discuss the components of decentralization reforms	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
5	Sept. 19, 2019	Amalgamation and Fragmentation	Evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches to decentralization	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
6	Sept. 26, 2019	Alternative Models of Local Government Organization	Compare and contrast the decentralization project in Ghana to that of Uganda	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
7-9	Oct. 3, 2019 Oct.10,  2019 Oct. 17, 2019	Economies of Scale, Scope And Size in Local Government	Discuss the nature, functions and operations of Ghana’s District Assemblies	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.	Interim Assessment  (30%); 7.30 am
10-11	Oct. 24, 2019 Oct. 31, 2019	Decentralization and Local Government in Ghana	Discuss the role of chiefs in local Government in Ghana	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
12-13	Nov.  7, 2019 Nov. 14, 2019	Local Government Financing in Ghana – Source of Revenue, Budget, uses and constraints	Appraise fiscal decentralization in Ghana	Lecture: JQB 9 Tutorial: Dept.
	Exam: 70%

*JQB = Jones Quartey Building

Plagiarism policy

Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and shall be treated as a serious offence.  Appropriate sanctions, as stipulated in the Plagiarism Policy, will be applied when students are found to have violated the Plagiarism policy.  The policy is available at http://www.ug.edu.gh/aqau/policies-guidelines.  ALL students are expected to familiarize themselves with the contents of the Policy.  

Assessment and Grading

Mid-semester test/assignment: 30%

Final Exam: 70%

Grading Scale

Refer to the Undergraduate Handbook for details on the grading scale.

READING LIST

Awortwi, N. (2010), ‘The past, present and future of Decentralization in Africa: a comparative case study of local government development trajectories of Ghana and Uganda’. International Journal of Public Administration 33: 620-634

Ayee, J. R. A (1999), Decentralization and Conflict: The case of District Chief Executives and Members of Parliament in Ghana Accra: Friedrich Ebert Foundation

Boafo-Arthur,  K.  (2003), ‘Chieftaincy in Ghana: The Challenges and Prospects in the 21^st Century’, Africa and Asian Studies, 2, (2): 1-16.

Debrah, E.  (2014), ‘The Politics of Decentralization in Ghana’s Fourth Republic’. African Studies Review, 57 (1) (April): 49-69.

Debrah, E. ‘Assessing the quality of accountability in Ghana’s district assemblies, 1993 – 2008’ African Journal of Political Science and International Relations 3 (6), pp. 278-287, June, 2009

 Mohammed, A. K. (2014), ‘An Assessment of the Impact of Local Government Fragmentation in Ghana’, Public Organization Review 14 (4) DOI 10.1007/s11115-014-02

Mohammed, A. K. (2015), ‘The Politics of Municipal Fragmentation in Ghana’, Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance 16:

Ndegwa, S. N. (2002), Decentralization in Africa: a stochtaking survey. Africa Region working paper series No. 40, November

Philip Mawhood (ed.) Local Government in the Third World: The Experience of Decentralization in Tropical Africa, African Institute of South Africa, 1993