Subnational Levels Of Government Research Articles

Exploring Fiscal Federalism and the Structure of Public Spending in Nigeria

Globally, there has been a noticeable shift towards fiscal decentralization during the last few decades. As a result, subnational levels of government now have more latitude for revenue generation and spending decisions. Nations all around the world are recognizing the benefits of fiscal decentralization. Fiscal federalism, as a component of fiscal decentralization, deals with the public sector's vertical organization. It examines the functions of the various governmental tiers and their interactions with one another through various fiscal mechanisms. The study aims to investigate the impact of Nigeria's fiscal federalism on public spending and the welfare of its citizens. The Wiseman-Peacock theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. The study was based on a documentary research design. Content analysis was used as a method for analyzing data. The derived findings revealed that Nigeria’s revenue-to-GDP ratio is among the lowest in the world. It also established that revenue shortages have created imbalances in government expenditure, i.e., recurrent above capital expenditure. The study recommends that addressing loopholes in the current tax legal framework, allocating spending more efficiently, and strengthening institutions are approaches to be applied to put Nigeria on a sustainable fiscal path.

The implementation of NRRP policies between politics and policy. An interest group perspective

ABSTRACT In Italy, the effective implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) represents an even greater and more difficult challenge than its formulation. Implementation of the majority of the ambitious projects outlined in the plan and the required policy reforms necessitates the active participation of economic and social stakeholders, interest groups and major corporations, and a swift improvement in administrative capacities – especially at the sub-national government level. Analysing the implementation of the NRRP from the perspective of interest groups provides crucial insights into its potential impact on the Italian economy, society and political system. This viewpoint also illuminates the intricate connections between politics and policy in managing cross-sectoral reforms with substantial financial resources. Therefore, utilizing process tracing methodology allows for an in-depth analysis of the implementation of sectoral policies, unveiling causal mechanisms, identifying key actors, and recognizing evolving trends in policies central to the Plan itself, such as those related to competition, justice and the green and digital transitions. The outcomes are not self-evident, and the transformative dynamics within different policy sectors warrant systematic attention from both scholars and policymakers.

Fiscal decentralization and income (re)distribution in OECD countries’ regions

Cross-country income inequality has declined in the last decades, but this trend has been paralleled by an increase in within-countries inequality. At the same time, many governments have implemented fiscal decentralization policies, devolving increasing decision-making powers on fiscal matters to sub-national levels of government. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence on the relationship between fiscal decentralization and intra-regional income redistribution, based on regional level data on inequality and local government revenues for 183 regions of 14 OECD countries. Our results show that within region income redistribution is negatively associated with fiscal decentralization, especially when it takes the form of revenue decentralization.

Regional scale integrated land use planning to meet multiple objectives: Good in theory but challenging in practice

Pressure is increasing globally to deliver integrated land use at large spatial scales (10–100 s km2) to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies through delivery of nature-based solutions. There is also pressure to decentralise land use decision-making to sub-national levels of government and multi-stakeholder partnerships, with the aim of improving policy targeting, coordination and participation. Whilst there has been significant research on these issues at smaller spatial and administrative scales, it is limited at larger scales. This paper addresses this gap, investigating whether the introduction of additional regional institutions can help address these challenges. It draws insights from Scotland’s decade old Land Use Strategy (LUS) and evolving Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) that aim to mitigate climate change through encouraging improved and integrated land use and land management. We find that despite considerable stakeholder support, such approaches may not deliver on their ambitions. An overarching finding relates to the importance of political commitment to implementation at these larger scales, which is crucial for establishing clear objectives, giving regions authority to respond to regional priorities, and ensuring adequate resourcing. This affects buy-in from stakeholders and the resolution of policy coordination challenges that the partnerships are meant to address. It has wider implications for the delivery of national climate policies, given the importance of land management in most climate change strategies. The insights, and the analytical framework used, are relevant for any country grappling with the challenge of implementing nature-based solutions at ever larger scales whilst bridging local and national land use priorities.

MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EUROPEAN POLICIES REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE AT THE SUBNATIONAL LEVEL

The article examines the institutional foundations of the formation and features of the use of the concept of multi-level governance, the determination of methodical approaches to the formation and possibilities of applying an integrated approach to multi-level governance at the subnational level in the context of the implementation of European policies on the development of Ukraine. It has been found that the role of sub-national structures in European politics is becoming increasingly independent and may partially depart from the direct influence and control of national governments. At the same time, regionalization, which took place in a number of leading European countries, ultimately contributed to the decentralization of political power and the transfer of significant powers from the national to the subnational level. The most significant principles of multi-level governance are defined, which should include: transparency and openness of the process of development and adoption of political decisions; compliance with the principles of subsidiarity, inclusiveness and proportionality within this process; comprehensive protection of basic individual rights; development of partnership with the participation of institutions and persons of both public and private law; achieving management efficiency and budgetary balance at all levels of multi-level governance. The principle of partnership in the system of multi-level governance provides for the equality of different levels of power within the European Union, as well as their recognition of mutual democratic legitimacy. The specified principle also provides that the supranational, national and subnational levels of government should develop cooperation, which is carried out on a voluntary and mutually beneficial basis. It is emphasized that the institutional capacity of the governing bodies of the subnational level is the ability of these bodies to effectively, competently and stably perform their functions and powers. This concerns the legal, resource capabilities, competences of the relevant bodies and their ability to coordinate collective actions in the direction of promotion and implementation of public projects and public initiatives that are significant for society. It provides for effective partnership and coordination of relevant bodies, including with government institutions; interdepartmental partnership and coordination; increasing one's own capacity in the field of finance and in the provision of public services in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and inclusiveness; partnerships and coordination outside the sphere of public administration; as well as audit, evaluation and citizen feedback. Attention is focused on the fact that the consolidation of efforts, that is, the joint interaction of local state authorities and local self-government bodies, is an important condition and at the same time a means of implementing democratic, decentralized management of territories and a condition for proper multi-level governance in the context of the European integration goals and objectives of Ukraine. The implementation of such cooperation will ensure the effectiveness of the mechanism of interaction between executive authorities and local self-government bodies; establish high-quality interaction of local authorities with territorial divisions of central executive authorities; to increase the professional level of employees of local state administrations; regulate the legal status of heads of local executive bodies; to ensure the provision of services to the population of appropriate quality.

Rationalization of the local budget economy: a comparative analysis of the legislative basis in Poland and Romania in the concepts of positive law and natural law

Motivation: The contrast between positive law and natural law regarding the rationalization of public budget management is strongest at the local government level. Local government finances are governed by the budget law enacted by parliament. However, it is at the subnational level of government where the natural right to self-determination and making rational decisions in the interest of local communities is most apparent.Aim: This article evaluates and compares the scope and instruments of Polish and Romanian budget laws that enable the rationalization of managing subnational budgets from the perspective of positive law and natural law. The article is based on research using qualitative methods (a literature review and a critical examination of financial legislation in Poland and Romania) and a descriptive comparative analysis.Results: The research confirms the main thesis of the article that the pillar of budget management rationalization in Polish and Romanian local governments is a symbiosis of positive law with natural law, the underpinning and enhancement of which should be formal legislation.

Vaccine hesitancy and respect for public health measures: Citizens’ trust in politicians and public servants across national, subnational and municipal levels of government

Research shows that citizens' trust in government is associated with lower vaccine hesitancy and an increased willingness to follow public health measures. Thus far, however, the population health literature has largely conceptualized “government” as a unitary actor. This article furthers our understanding of this relationship by examining two important features of modern governance that have largely gone unexamined: (1) that governing involves popularly elected politicians and appointed bureaucrats; and (2), that governing often comprises many levels of government within the same country. Analyzing survey data from Canada with various multivariate regression models, this article finds that the relationship political trust has with vaccine hesitancy and intention to follow for public health measures is more complex than presently recognized. Specifically, a larger change in citizens’ public health behaviors is associated with trust in public health officials than with trust in government, and of particular importance is trust in national public health authorities, despite the fact that public health measures in Canada are largely the jurisdiction of subnational governments. The implications of these findings for population health research and policymakers are discussed.

What Underlies State Government Performance in Scaling Family Planning Programming? A Study of The Challenge Initiative State Partnerships in Nigeria.

Relatively few studies rigorously examine the factors associated with health systems strengthening and scaling of interventions at subnational government levels. We aim to examine how The Challenge Initiative (TCI) coaches subnational (state government) actors to scale proven family planning and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health approaches rapidly and sustainably through public health systems to respond to unmet need among the urban poor. This mixed-methods comparative case study draws on 32 semistructured interviews with subnational government leaders and managers, nongovernmental organization leaders, and TCI Nigeria staff, triangulated with project records and government health management information system (HMIS) data. Adapting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we contrast experience across 2 higher-performing states and 1 lower-performing state (identified through HMIS data and selected health systems strengthening criteria from 13 states) to identify modifiable factors linked with successful adoption and implementation of interventions and note lessons for supporting scale-up. Informants reported that several TCI strategies overlapping with CFIR were critical to states' successful adoption and sustainment of interventions, most prominently external champions' contributions and strengthened state planning and coordination, especially in higher-performing states. Government stakeholders institutionalized new interventions through their annual operational plans. Higher-performing states incorporated mutually reinforcing interventions (including service delivery, demand generation, and advocacy). Although informants generally expressed confidence that newly introduced service delivery interventions would be sustained beyond donor support, they had concerns about government financing of demand-side social and behavior change work. As political and managerial factors, even more than technical factors, were most linked with successful adoption and scale-up, these processes and systems should be assessed and prioritized from the start. Government leaders, TCI coaches, and other stakeholders can use these findings to shape similar initiatives to sustainably scale social service interventions.

Budget transparency and internal revenue mobilisation at sub-national government level: evidence from Nigeria

Budget transparency and internal revenue mobilisation at sub-national government level: evidence from Nigeria

Challenges of effective governance for sustainable development at subnational government levels: introduction to this thematic issue of Public Sector Economics

Challenges of effective governance for sustainable development at subnational government levels: introduction to this thematic issue of Public Sector Economics

Central-Local Government Coordination During the COVID-19 Response: A Case Study Analysis of Jordan and Morocco

This study seeks to understand the coordination of national and subnational governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan and Morocco. Utilizing a case study analysis strategy, this study provides a better understanding of the governmental response to the COVID-19 crisis in light of the relationship between the national and subnational levels of government. The examination of the two case studies, namely, Jordan and Morocco, was conducted through a document analysis strategy that implemented the READ approach. The results illustrate that pandemic management occurred through coordination between the central government, which is responsible for formulating response policies, and the subnational government, which is responsible for implementing these policies. Jordan formulated and institutionalized its response to the pandemic through the activation of Defense Law No. 13 of 1992. The governorates and municipalities worked together to implement the defense orders. Similarly, the government in Morocco established national response policies, and the local and territorial levels were responsible for executing these policies.

Recentralization of Health Systems: The Strengthening of Central Health Authorities in Brazil and Spain

ABSTRACT The article analyzes the dynamics behind the recentralization of health systems in Brazil and Spain. Recentralization in Brazil and Spain occurred after a long decentralization process when central governments stepped up their monitoring and coordination roles over the health system as a response to the shortcomings of decentralization. The analysis herein explains why Brazil shows a higher degree of recentralization than Spain and reveals two causes of this outcome: first, the different strategies of central governments to sideline at least one subnational level of government during decentralization, and second, the type of opposition these governments faced in the approval of recentralizing measures. This article contributes to the literature on health reforms in two ways: first, it allows for a better grasp on the main factors affecting the advancement of recentralization, and second, it aids in identifying how temporality and territoriality interfere in the recentralization of health systems.

Socio-economic factors associated with antenatal care in Nigeria.

There is a dearth of knowledge on how much financial autonomy interacts with affordability and consequently access to ante-natal health care in Nigeria. This study evaluated the relationship between women's financial autonomy and utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services. ANC attendance during pregnancy and the financial autonomy of women aged 15-49 in 42,000 selected households across all 36 states and the FCT, was assessed using data from the 2018 NDHS. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out and significant predictors were tested at a 95% significance level. The proportion of women considered to have no financial, partial and full autonomies were 63.1%, 32.0% and 4.9% respectively. Living in an urban region was a statistically significant predictor of financial autonomy among women and the odds of financial autonomy increased with the level of education and wealth index. Type of residence and occupation type were also significant predictors of ANC utilization. Full financial autonomy to make financial decisions did not significantly improve the odds of antenatal health care services during pregnancy (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.87 - 1.22). Other factors such as education, employment and wealth index of the women were more significantly associated with antenatal care attendance. A call for improved educational facilities and wealth creation schemes at national and sub-national levels of government is necessary to improve ante-natal care utilization in health care facilities.

Challenges and Opportunities of European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS) Implementation and Transparency of the Public Sector in the European Union: Croatian Accountants' Perceptions

European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS) are being introduced by the European Commission to facilitate the harmonization of public sector accounting standards across the European Union countries. The main aim of this research is to explore the existing level of awareness, attitude, and expectations of public sector accountants at the subnational levels of government towards implementation of EPSAS in Croatia. Additionally, this paper explores the relationship between the existing level of public sector transparency, as perceived by public sector accountants, and the expected outcomes of EPSAS implementation. The findings suggest that public sector accountants are quite skeptical regarding the outcomes of EPSAS implementation. Among the positive effects, public sector accountants point to an expected increase of accountability and budget control, and greater transparency of public expenditures. Finally, the findings indicate that higher existing levels of budgetary transparency, as perceived by public sector accountants, lead to anticipation of more favorable effects of EPSAS.

Local and Regional Management Approaches for the Redesign of Local Development: A Case Study of Greece

The efforts of different local and regional administrations are increasingly seen as very important drivers of the economic vitality and well-being of territories in a world where subnational government levels continue to gain levels of authority. This study sought to investigate the efficacy of revamping local and regional development through local and regional management practices with a key focus on Greece. A mixed-methods research design was utilized; data were collected using a questionnaire from 200 entrepreneurs and investors from the local community in Kozani and through interviews with six local government leaders in Kozani city, Greece. The study shows that effective local–regional management practices normally function within the constraints provided by local contextual circumstances and traits as well as the possibilities offered by them. In this case, localized techniques may be used in areas with varying degrees of ex ante favorability, economic structures, and different resource endowments, as well as capacities that are essential for regional and local development. Any barriers that may affect the effectiveness of local–regional management practices can be eliminated through proper decision making, the proper allocation of resources, and participatory leadership at the local government level.

Thinking outside the neoliberal box? The discursive potential of national climate legislation for the local governance of climate change

ABSTRACT In recent years there has been a renewed interest in subnational levels of governance as sites of potential and renewed ambition on climate change. One recent challenge to dominant neoliberal discourses of climate governance is legislation enacted in Wales, which places sustainable development as the central organising principle of local government. Through a Critical Discourse Analysis, supplemented by stakeholder interviews, this research analyses the discursive potential of this legislation in reshaping local governance of climate change. The findings show that the introduction of new legislation can foster the emergence of collaborative structures and collective language, but is limited in its ability to broaden climate governance discourses. This research highlights how seemingly progressive legislation is hampered in its potential through its hybridisation with already-existing neoliberal climate governance discourses and structures. It also demonstrates the importance of discourse analysis in identifying subtle narratives at work in the governance of climate change.

A Critical Analysis of Zimbabwe’s Non-implementation of Constitutional Injunctions on Devolution

Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution provides for a multi-level system of government whereby the government is constituted at national, provincial and local levels. Despite the new Constitution being relatively comprehensive about the devolution of powers to the subnational levels of government, the country is still trapped within the post-independence highly centralised unitary state design. Although the new Constitution was adopted in 2013, devolution has not yet been fully implemented in Zimbabwe. This non-implementation of the constitutional injunctions on devolution, almost a decade after the promulgation of the Constitution, brings into question the country’s commitment to the devolution of powers and constitutionalism. This article critiques this state of affairs, and identifies the politico-legal factors responsible for the country’s non-implementation of the constitutional injunctions on the devolution of powers to subnational levels of government. This article’s central thesis is that the full devolution of powers is one of the significant levers of constitutional transformation in Zimbabwe.

SUB-NATIONAL INNOVATION POLICY: A UNIVERSAL ENTITLEMENT TO EDUCATION GRANT IN SABANG, INDONESIA

This article studies a universal entitlement to education grant in Sabang that shows policy making at subnational government level in Indonesia. The policy is designed and implemented by Sabang municipality of Aceh province to help students at primary and secondary schools who would otherwise struggle with the cost of education. Desk study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the major and high-ranking officials from related government departments in Sabang. The results show the central - local relations has not been easy to be understood by lower tier of governments. While the distribution of authorities between central and subnational government (such as: in education development functions) has not been well defined, the Sabang Education Grant (SEG) has been evidence of how a municipality government exercise the discretion and decision-making power. The transfer of authority and responsibility under the decentralization is instrumental in supporting the SEG policy formulation. The sub-national governments at special regions were given an authority to formulate policies to ensure all students have access to educational services. To implement this policy, Sabang municipality government regulate the operational procedures to implement the processes, define the technical guideline, establish the expert and management team as well as provide the tools to support the policy implementation.

Towards a normative framework for local authorities in facilitating foreign direct investment

Using two local authorities (LAs) (Windhoek and Walvis Bay) in Namibia, this study problematises their negative and neutral developmental experiences with facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) as concerning (Jauch, 2020). The absence of a normative framework for LA FDI facilitation in Namibia’s multi-level government (MLG) system creates a developmental quagmire for LAs. This study develops a normative framework for LA FDI facilitation to avert the negative and neutral developmental experiences of LAs with facilitating FDI. Using the qualitative method, this study interviewed 13 key respondents that were sampled through the purposive/judgemental technique. Data were interpreted and presented through thematic analysis. The key findings point to the development of a normative framework for LA FDI facilitation that ascends the need for 1) sufficient decentralised functions of FDI facilitation in an MLG system; 2) policy and legislative harmonisation to avert challenges of coordination and implementation in an MLG system; 3) institutional structures for an efficient MLG system at the LA level; and 4) broader legal and policy framework for efficient governance at the sub-national government (SNG) level in an MLG system. This study recommends the application of this normative framework in MLG systems to ascend LAs’ developmental role in facilitating FDI for development.

Urban Climate Change Governance within Centralised Governments: a Case Study of Giza, Egypt

Urban climate governance on the subnational and local government levels requires multilevel governance and local autonomy. Within centralised governments, climate action becomes challenging. Moreover, in developing countries, development needs are usually prioritised, while climate action is viewed as an unaffordable luxury. In a centralised, middle-income country like Egypt, climate action is a challenge for all government levels. This research investigates the current state and the prospect of urban climate change governance on the subnational level in Egypt. A twofold methodology is used. First, through desk research, a comprehensive list of urban climate governance enabling factors was extracted. The list was used to assess the practices of 3 international case studies (Delhi, Durban, and Amman) and then refined and used to assess the first subnational level climate change strategy in Egypt. Second, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a few selected experts working on climate change and urban policies in Egypt. Two sets of recommendations were formulated to expedite urban climate change governance in Egypt, especially on the subnational and local levels. While the research focuses on Egypt, the methodology and recommendations could be adopted and adapted by local governments functioning within centralised systems.