UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
FIRST SEMESTER 2021/2022 ACADEMIC YEAR
COURSE SYLLABUS
ECON 215: INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMY OF GHANA I
3 CREDITS

LECTURE PERIOD AND VENUE:

Main Campus: Group A: Wednesday, 3:30 – 5:20pm NNB1
Group B: Friday, 3:30 – 5:30pm NNB1
Group C: Friday, 5.30 – 7.30pm NNB2
City Campus: 8:00- 10:00am, Basement

COURSE INSTRUCTORS:

Dr. Alfred Barimah [AB]

Office Location: Economics Department, Room # W9A
Office Hours: Wednesdays (9:30am – 11:30am)
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Abel Fumey [AF]

Office Location: Economics Department Annex, Room 7
Office Hours: Thursdays (10.00am – 12.00pm)
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Frank Aggyire-Tettey [FAT]

Office Location: Economics Department, Room # W8A
Office Hours: Tuesdays (12:30pm – 1:30pm)
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Eric Akorbeng [EA]

Office Location: Department of Economics, Room # W15A
Office Hours: Thursday (9:30am – 11:30am)
Email: [email protected]
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Dr. Nkechi S. Owoo [NSO]
Office Location: Department of Economics Annex, Room 8
Office Hours: Thursdays (9:30pm – 11:30pm)
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Emmanuel Ashiedu Codjoe [EAC]

Office Location: Department of Economics, Room # W18A
Office Hours: Thursdays (10:30am – 12:30pm)
Email: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is intended to introduce students to the main aspects and issues of the Ghanaian
economy. Although this is an introductory course, it is aimed at ensuring that students are able
to utilise their basic understanding of economic principles to examine the issues and challenges
that are associated with the Ghanaian economy.

COURSE GOALS
The course is designed with the following goals:
 To provide students a general overview of the structure of Ghanaian economy.
 To provide an understanding of the main challenges confronting the Ghanaian economy.
 To encourage students to utilise their knowledge of basic economic principles to analyse
the various dynamics within the Ghanaian economy.
 To provide students with the necessary foundation needed in undertaking further in-
depth analysis of the various aspects of the Ghanaian economy.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
After the successful completion of this course the student should be able to do the following:
 Clearly highlight the major components of the Ghanaian economy
 Use relevant data to describe trends in the major components of the Ghanaian economy.
 Utilise basic economic principles to explain the major issues that confront the Ghanaian
economy.
 Engage meaningful and accurately with information and other materials on the economy
of Ghana

COURSE DELIVERY
The course would be delivered largely through lectures and presentations on topics detailed in
the course syllabus. These lectures will usually be for the duration of two hour lectures each
week.

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PLAGIARISM POLICY
Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable in the University of Ghana 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.

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Mid-Semester Test/Interim Assessment.................................................... 30%
Interim Assessment may be done at the end of week 6
Final Exam................................................................................................70%
GRADING SCALE: Students’ performance on the course shall be graded as follows:

LETTER GRADE MARK GRADE POINT INTERPRETATION

A 80 -100 4.0 Outstanding

B+ 75 – 79 3.5 Very Good

B 70 – 74 3.0 Good

C+ 65 – 69 2.5 Fairly Good

C 60 – 64 2.0 Average

D+ 55 – 59 1.5 Below Average

D 50 – 54 1.0 Marginal Pass

*E 45 – 49 0.5 Unsatisfactory

F 0 – 44 0 Fail

READING LIST
There is no basic reference text for this course. However, given the nature of the course several
texts and other materials are available for use. These include (and are by no means exhaustive):
 ISSER (recent issues). The state of the Ghanaian economy. Legon: ISSER.
 Killick, Tony (2010). Development economics in action: A study of economic policies in
Ghana. 2nd ed. London and New York: Routledge.
 Aryeetey, E & Kanbur, R. S. (2004). Macroeconomic stability, growth and poverty
reduction in Ghana. Legon: ISSER.
 Aryeetey, E.,Harrigan, J. & Nissanke, M. (2000). Economic reforms in Ghana: The
miracle and the mirage. Oxford: James Currey.

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Other useful resources include the following websites:
 The Bank of Ghana www.bog.gov.gh
 Ghana Statistical Service www.statsghana.gov.gh (this also has links to other
Government of Ghana ministries and agencies with information on the Ghanaian
economy)
 World Bank www.worldbank.org

COURSE DELIVERY PLAN

Wee Lecture Topic Comments
k No.
1 1 Introduction and A presentation of an overview of the course, the
overview to the organisation of lectures grading and other related
course matters. [AB]

National Income Lecture and discussions on National Income

Accounting computations in relation to government bookkeeping
system that measures the health of an economy. [AB]
2 2 National Income Topic offers insight into how an economy is performing
Accounting by explaining the components of national income
accounting. [AB]
3 3 The Agricultural Lecture presentation on the agricultural sector of Ghana
Sector and its structure. Discussion on contribution of the sector
to national development. [AF]
4 4 The Agricultural Lecture and discussion on the challenges confronting the
Sector agriculture sector in Ghana and policies undertaken to
address the challenges. [AF]
5 5 The Industrial Presentation on Ghana’s industrial sector and its
Sector composition as well as contribution to the economy.
[FAT]
6 6 The Industrial Discussion here focuses on challenges of the industrial
Sector sector development in Ghana. It also discusses industrial
policies in Ghana over the years. [FAT]
7 7 The Services Presentation on the composition and role of the services
Sector sector in Ghana. [EA]
8 8 The Services Lecture and discussion on the challenges facing the
Sector services sector as well as limitations to its development.
[EA]

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9 9 Poverty & Lecture presentation on conceptual definitions of poverty
Inequality and measurements and its profile in Ghana over the
years. In addition, this topic discusses the structure of
inequality and measures as well as policies to address the
situation [NSO]
10 10 International The presentation of the topic here is focused on Ghana’s
Trade trade relations with the rest of the world in terms of
exports and imports and its implications on the economy.
[EAC]