Local Government Administration
- Management Sciences
- 800 level
- 2 credit units
- 120 pages
- 24 units
This course provides an in-depth exploration of local government administration in Nigeria. It examines the evolution, principles, practices, and theories underpinning local government systems. Students will gain insights into the structure, functions, and challenges of local governments, including revenue generation, intergovernmental relations, and the role of local government in national development. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of local governance and its impact on rural transformation and service delivery.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 40 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Basic knowledge of political science and public administration
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of MPA870, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
MPA870 · Unit 1: Concept of Local Government
1 local governments are developmental intermediary between grassroots people and national scheme of things. It is a system of government that fosters democracy. It is grassroots – based consisting of small units of local communities upon which political power are developed to cater for then needs.)
What you should be able to do
- Analyze the evolution of local government systems in Nigeria
- Evaluate the impact of decentralization on local governance
- Assess the challenges facing local governments in Nigeria
- Apply theoretical frameworks to understand local government dynamics
- Formulate strategies for improving local government administration
- Explain the role of local government in national development
What it prepares you for
- Local Government Administrator
- Policy Analyst
- Public Sector Manager
- Community Development Officer
- Government
- Public Administration
- Community Development
- Non-profit Organizations
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- MODULE 2
Unit 3: Problems of Local Government
Requires understanding of complex inter-governmental relationships and fiscal decentralization principles.
- MODULE 3
Unit 3: The 1976 Local Government Reform
Involves analyzing diverse historical reforms and their socio-political impacts.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 41 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1MODULE 1
Unit 1: Concept of Local Government · 2 hours
Define local government. Explain reasons for establishment. Discuss importance of local government.
Unit 2: Creation of Local Government · 2 hours
Justify rationale for creation. Provide reasons for creation. Discuss reasons for local government.
- Week 2MODULE 1
Unit 3: Justification for Local Governments · 2 hours
Justify local government as an engine of development. Explain local government bridging communication gap.
Unit 4: Functions of Local Government · 2 hours
Discuss functions of government. Identify characteristics of local government.
- Week 3MODULE 1
Unit 5: The Nature of Local Government · 3 hours
Explain the nature of local government. Discuss decentralization. Identify various forms of decentralization.
- Week 4MODULE 2
Unit 1: Criteria for the Measurement of Decentralization · 3 hours
Provide yardsticks for measuring decentralization. State degrees of decentralization. Discuss conditions for successful decentralization policies.
- Week 5MODULE 2
Unit 2: Arguments in Favour of Decentralization · 3 hours
Explain advantages of decentralization. Discuss disadvantages of decentralization. Identify problems inherent in decentralization.
- Week 6MODULE 2
Unit 3: Problems of Local Government · 3 hours
Discuss problems of Nigeria local government system. Pro-offer solutions to these problems.
- Week 7MODULE 2
Unit 4: The Control of Local Government · 3 hours
Provide background to the control of local governments. Discuss various methods of control. Justify why local governments need to be controlled.
- Week 8MODULE 2
Unit 5: Local Government in Pre-colonial Era · 3 hours
Trace the evolution of local government. Discuss local governments during pre-colonial era.
- Week 9MODULE 3
Unit 1: Local Government in Colonial Era · 3 hours
Advance reasons why colonial administration used existing local authorities. Discuss local government during colonial era.
- Week 10MODULE 3
Unit 2: Post-Colonial Local Government System in Nigeria · 3 hours
Describe local government administration in South East and South-South. Discuss local government reform in early 1970s. Explain local government in Western Nigeria.
- Week 11MODULE 3
Unit 3: The 1976 Local Government Reform · 3 hours
Discuss major achievement of 1976 local government reform. Outline major shortcomings of 1976 local government reform.
- Week 12MODULE 3
Unit 4: Babangida's Administration Innovation · 3 hours
Highlight major contents of 1976 local government reform. Explain major limitations of reform. Discuss IBB administration innovations.
- Week 13MODULE 3
Unit 5: Importance of Revenue to Local Governments · 3 hours
Identify sources of local government revenue. Explain why local governments do not generate reasonable revenue. State areas where local government can make bye laws.
Preparing for the exam
- Create a timeline of local government reforms discussed in Modules 2 and 3.
- Compare and contrast the different theories of local government from Module 4.
- Focus on the key challenges and solutions discussed in Module 2, Unit 3.
- Review the functions and revenue sources of local governments from Module 3, Unit 5.
- Practice applying the concepts of decentralization and accountability to real-world scenarios.
Questions students ask about this course
What is MPA870 about?
This course provides an in-depth exploration of local government administration in Nigeria. It examines the evolution, principles, practices, and theories underpinning local government systems. Students will gain insights into the structure, functions, and challenges of local governments, including revenue generation, intergovernmental relations, and the role of local government in national development. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of local governance and its impact on rural transformation and service delivery.
How many units does MPA870 have?
MPA870, Local Government Administration, has 24 units across 5 modules, over 120 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is MPA870?
MPA870 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.
Is MPA870 hard?
MPA870 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does MPA870 take to study?
About 40 hours of study, spread across its 24 units.
How is MPA870 assessed?
MPA870 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What do I need before starting MPA870?
Basic knowledge of political science and public administration
What can I do with MPA870?
Local Government Administrator, Policy Analyst, Public Sector Manager and Community Development Officer.