20 Local Government Finance in Nigeria: Challenges and Prognosis for
Action in a Democratic Era (1999-2013)
21LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: THE MYTH, THE PARADOX, THE CHALLENGES.
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Abstract/1st chapters
1 Boosting Internally Generated Revenue of Local
Governments in Ogun State, Nigeria
(A Study of selected
Local Governments in Ogun State)†
Olusola, Olubukunola. O
Abstract
For there to be a
local government, it must be ready and be seen to be able to meet its obligations
through
internal sources. However this is far from what is obtained in practice as this study
would show that for selected
local governments understudied, they were unable to generate 10%
of
internal revenue, hence the gross dependence on statutory allocations from the federation
account. This study had been carried out to see the impact these
internal sources has on the total
revenue. Problems, efforts for better and effective
revenue generation will be identified. The
study population consists of all the twenty (20)
local governments in Ogun State. The sample
size was three (3)
local governments. The
local governments were randomly selected by
balloting and data were sourced from Annual Financial Statements (AFS) of each
local
government chosen for the study. The study is limited to a period of 6 years (2000-2005). The
ordinary least square method was adopted using the multiple regression analysis and panel data
regression method to test the fixed and random effects and test for level of significance at 1%. It
was found out that rates, fines, fees and licenses, rent sources of
revenue are significant factors
influencing internally
generated revenue of
local governments in Ogun State.
Keywords: Internally
Generated Revenue (IGR), Annual Financial Statements (AFS),
Local
Governments (LGs), Total Internally
Generated Revenue
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2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA------by Olisa Agbakoba SAN & Hilary Ogbonna
(A Capacity Building Manual)
This
is a training manual for local government administrators, community
based organizations, NGOs, activists and policy makers, interested in
improving good governance on the local level in Nigeria. The objectives
of this manual are (1) to enable local government administrators to
appreciate their roles as developmental agents and to enable them
harness the various resources at their disposal to bring about
meaningful grassroots development; (2) to help various interest groups
and grassroots constituencies reach an understanding of issues in local
government administration; (3) to assist political actors, community
organizations and grassroots people in the context of their dealings
with the local government; and (4) to help every stakeholder to develop
action plans for the local government in their respective areas. The
manual is intended to be used as training material for seminars and
workshops, as a reference guide as well as advocacy material in public
enlightenment and discourses.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Part 1 EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Origin and Forms of Local Governments
Part 2 GOVERNANCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Good Governance in Local Governments Administration .
Local Government Financing , Budgeting in Local Governments.
Part 3 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Civil Society Participation in Local Government Administration
Part 4 LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Local Governance and Development
APPENDIX: Function of a Local Government Council Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.
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3
Local Government Administration and the Challenges of Rural Development in Nigeria
Abstract
Rural
development of the grassroots has been the concern of every responsible
and responsive political system. This is because development and
participation have continued to elude people of the grassroots.
Development remains insignificant if it does not positively affect the
lives of those in the periphery of decision making arrangement. The
Nigerian state therefore created local government as the third tier of
government whose objective is to ensure effective, measurable and
efficient service delivery to the people. Local government is faced with
various difficulties. The major concern of this paper is to dwell on
these difficulties and illuminates the factors that are responsible for
them. In achieving this, the paper relies on descriptive approach and
unstructured interview. It concludes that problems of local government
are multifarious in nature and the solutions for them should be adequate
and practical in order to evolve viable and development-oriented third
tier of government.
Key words: grassroots, political
system, autonomy, third tier, participation, development, uniformity,
unity, culture, diversity, interference, national integration,
performance, consciousness, concept, commitment, democracy,
inefficiency, corruption, decentralisation.
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4 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCALITIES IN NIGERIA: ISSUES, PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTIONS
J. E. IMHANLAHIMI AND M. O. IKEANYIBE
(Received 15, January 2008; Revision Accepted 26, June 2009)
ABSTRACT
The topical issue of local government (LG) autonomy in Nigeria in relation to the development of
the localities, the raison d’etre of LGs, has been examined in this paper. Proceeding from theoretical
framework and conceptualizations for clearer understanding, the paper discusses some dominant
autonomy issues. These include representative LGs, the size of LGs, revenue, and personnel. The
paper found that inadequate handling of virtually all the above issues has posed some challenges for
LGs’ developmental efforts in the localities. Inadequate autonomy has been found to be the
independent variable in the challenges. Other challenges include inadequate finances, weak
intergovernmental relations, fledging democracy and grand corruption. These must be adequately
tackled for LGs to make more positive impact in the localities. Some pertinent recommendations are as
follows. LGs need adequate autonomy, hard work rather than verbal institutionalization, democratic
consolidation, reduced corruption, increased discipline and application of the rule of law.
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5 Repositioning the Local Government System for Sustainable Development through Constitution Review”
TEXT
OF LECTURE DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR IKE EKWEREMADU CFR,
DEPUTY SENATE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT A SEMINAR ON
“REPOSITIONING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ADMINISTRATION TO MEET THE CHALLENGES
OF VISION 20-20-20” ORGANISED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF
NIGERIA (ALGON) AND THE OFFICE OF THE SGF ON 6TH JULY 2009 AT THE SHEHU
MUSA YAR’ADUA CENTRE, ABUJA
“Repositioning the Local Government System for Sustainable Development through Constitution Review”
Protocol
Introduction
I
am indeed happy and count it an honour and great opportunity to
brainstorm with this gathering of important stakeholders in our quest
for sustainable national development.
Though the invitation to
this seminar and request to deliver this lecture was at a relative short
notice, I did not hesitate to honour the invitation in person for so
many reasons. I place premium on the local government system, being the
closest tier of government to the people and a very critical factor in
national development and the realization of the Vision 20-20-20.
Importantly too, the local government system and the grassroots remain
the genesis and cornerstone of my political career. So, for me, this
event is a great reunion, having served as the Chairman of the Aninri
Local Government Area of Enugu State. This seminar is an uncommon
opportunity for me to share ideas with my colleagues from the hindsight
of a road trod before and of one who had once won the shoe and knows
where it hurts.
As an active
player in the quest for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution since the
5th Senate and the Chairman of the present National Assembly Joint
Committee on Constitution Review, I total subscribe to inclusiveness,
participation, and consultation as indispensable elements of an
acceptable, effective, and credible review of the 1999 Constitution. In
fact, this is my second lecture on the constitution amendment in a space
of about one month. On the 4th of June, I shared ideas with other
critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project and the constitution
review at the 2nd Alumni Homecoming of the Faculty of Law, University of
Nigeria, Enugu Campus vide a lecture entitled “10 Years of Democracy
and the Quest for the Amendment of the 1999 Constitution”.
Therefore,
before I proceed, I wish to appreciate the Association of Local
Governments of Nigeria, ALGON and the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation for their thoughtfulness in putting this
seminar together to enrich discourses in topical development challenges
facing the local government system and to build the capacity of these
key players for better governance and administration of the local
councils towards the achievement of Vision 20-20-20. This event, coming
on the heels of Nigeria’s unprecedented 10 uninterrupted years of
democracy, is a clear appreciation of the fact that democracy is not an
end in itself, but a means which can best be sustained through good
governance and practical improvement on the lives of our citizens.
Incidentally, an overwhelming majority of our citizens live in the rural
areas. Therefore, I count this seminar as indicative of a popular
commitment to better the lots of a majority of Nigerians and by so doing
consolidate our democracy.
I was
given the freedom to frame the topic of this presentation around the
seminar theme vis-Ã -vis the constitution review. My choice of this topic
is underlined by the fact that the local government system could do
much better if it is constitutionally and positively repositioned to
deliver on its mandate. And I believe the ongoing process of the 1999
Constitution amendment presents yet another opportunity to reform and
strengthen the local government system to be more effective and
efficient in contributing to grassroots and national development.
Constitutionally well restructured, empowered and well administered
local governments are catalysts for sustainable national development. I
believe that Vision 20-20-20 can succeed better if local governments are
empowered to key in optimally to the vision. I will thus strive to
highlight several vital facets of the subject–matter to help engender as
well as widen discourse in our quest for a more utilitarian local
government system through constitution-making and democracy in Nigeria.
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6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY: A STUDY OF SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN NIGERIA
ABUBAKAR, USMAN (Ph.D)
Department of Local Government and Development Studies
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Kaduna State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
Arising from the dissatisfaction expressed by many nations with centralised approaches to
local service delivery, a large number of these countries have resorted to decentralising
responsibility to lower level elected governments for their provision. This study provides the
findings of a field survey carried out in three states from the North-west, South- East and
South- Western parts of Nigeria. From these states, three local government areas each: one
urban, semi urban and rural were surveyed with respondents comprising of the chairman, six
heads of departments and five councillors each from the local governments (9 number) and
the civil society comprising traders and market women association, traditional rulers, a
retired civil servants, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), National Union of Local
Government Employees (NULGE) and The Youth Association from each of the 9 local
governments surveyed. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted and the responses were
correlated and cross tabulated using the SPSS software. The result indicates a very weak
relationship between local government (decentralisation) as operational in Nigeria and
service delivery. Reasons for this development such as limited autonomy, high level
government interferences among others were highlighted and suggestions proffered to help
strengthen local governments in service provision.
Keywords: Local government, Decentralization and Service delivery
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7 LG AUTONOMY IN NIGERIA A HISTORICAL PERAPECTIVE
INTRODUCTION
The aim of this paper is to examine the nature
ofomy, the Local Government auton its strength
and inherent contradictions in achieving the
objectives of local government system in Nigeria.
In doing this, it will be relevant to engage in a bit
of theorizing and conceptualization of the terms
local government and autonomy from different
view points. This will enable us generate a greater
power of analysis, as we observe that most of
the handed down tools, models, theories and
approaches from the West are of little utility to
the changing conditions of developing democracies.
This exercise will not in any way assume to
have exhausted all the various definitions given
by scholars and leading practitioners as to what
local government and autonomy connote. But
our choice of definition will be those that are of
relevance to the contemporary Nigerian local
government system.
At this point, it is conceived that any serious
discussion on the present local government autonomy
has to touch on our socio-economic and
political circumstances. Thus our values, sentiments
and prejudices could not escape intruding
as we make the premise as well as suggest
measures for transforming Nigerian local
government system.
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8 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD
AKHAKPE IGHODALO
Department of Public Administration
Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos
+2348037222867, ighoakha@yahoo.com
&
KOLAWOLE SOLA
Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management
Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos
+2348035753243, iokolly@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Local government administration is widely regarded as government closest to the people of the grassroot.
It performs vital functions such as: political education, mobilization of the people for popular participation
in governance, vehicle for political accountability, among others. The struggle to bring about a local
government system in Nigeria has been a long drawn one. Efforts have geared towards moving the system
from local administration to local government with functional political and economic autonomy. Yet, local
government administration is confronted with issues and challenges such as: federal and state
government’s interventions in the constitutional apportioned responsibilities of local government. The
paper argues that for local government administration to realize its lofty goals, the country should return to
true federalism, enthrone positive leadership, pursuit of economic self-reliance through internally
generated revenue, and embrace attitudinal and behavioural changes to achieve good governance.
Keywords: Local Government, Democracy, Reforms and Governance.
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9 Project Planning and Implementation at the Local Government
Level: Lessons of Experience
Jimoh A. Oladipo
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
E-mail:
oladipoui@yahoo.com
Tel: +2348033781008
Abstract
Events of the second war and its aftermath have succeeded not only in making the concept
of development a necessity objective but also in identifying the appropriate investment for
implementing development projects. The advocacy for decentralization measures as an allcheck
against concentrating power in any one particular organization finds relevance in the
instrumentality of local governments in planning and implementing projects to address the
issues of poverty, unemployment and inequality. For developing countries such as Nigeria,
however, targeted outcomes have remained largely unachieved as projects at the local level
have shown profound incapability in contributing to development of local areas. The
problem of corruption, social instability and ethnic divisions has continued to increasingly
rear its ugly head. The author’s 26 years experience as a technocrat in public project
planning has therefore come in handy in looking back at all activities relating to project
planning and implementation under three major areas viz: 1. chronicling the process 2.
examining all institutional and administrative apparatus put in place and 3. identifying
problems and constraints hampering effectiveness in project planning and implementation.
Although several factors are discovered to contribute to the failure of local government
projects in making appreciable impacts, the most serious ones have to do with institutional
instability and policies working at cross purposes. The paper identifies six policy areas in
rectifying the failings.
Keywords: Project Planning and Implementation, Local Government, Decentralisation,
Social and Economic Development, Goals and Objectives
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10
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION, POVERTY ALLEVIATION
AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
Samuel C. Ugoh
Department of Political Science, University of Lagos,
Lagos
Abstract
Absolute poverty
has to do with living below whatever is defined as poverty line based on per capita
income or consumption of individuals or households in a country. The local government
system is set up, at least in part, to help curtail the prevalence of poverty. The
paper is aimed at an evaluation of to what extent this objective is being pursued
and addressed by Nigerian local governments as units of political administration,
known as the third tier of government, next to the state and federal levels in that
order. The study identified a whole gamut of factors militating against local governments
contributing as they should to the issue of poverty alleviation.
Keywords: Poverty; development; local government; alleviation.
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11
Fiscal planning and local government administration in
Nigeria: The quest for sustainable rural development
Samihah Khalil and
Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu*
Ghazali Shafie Graduate School
of Government, College of Law, Government and International
Studies, Northern University of Malaysia, 06010, UUM Sintok,
Kedah, Malaysia.
Accepted 7
October, 2011
|
|
Abstract
|
|
The raison
d’etre of a local government is to collect its revenue
efficiently and to use that revenue to provide infrastructural
development for its tax payers. Local government as the third
tier of government cannot, therefore be ideal from the financial
view lens if it collects its revenue in a slip-shod manner and
devotes a large percentage of it to the maintenance of a top-
heavy administrative set-up, with a relatively small proportion
of the revenue left for the provision of infrastructural
development which are of direct benefits to the local
inhabitants. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine
local government accountability in respect of budget and
budgeting system in order to improve sustainable development at
the local level. The paper tries to study the main source of
revenue of local governments in Nigeria, and determine how the
resources are utilized to deliver infrastructural development to
the people. Also, information on budget and budgeting of Irepo
local government is analyzed in the study. There are 774 local
governments in Nigeria. This research study covers 33 local
governments in terms of disbursement of statutory allocation,
and Irepo local government in terms of budget and budgeting
analysis. As far back as 1999, the Nigerian local governments
are being given enough by the Federal Government in order to
provide infrastructural development to the citizens in the local
area, but it seems the said public revenue are being mismanaged
by political leaders and local governments’ officials in
Nigeria. The findings of this paper revealed that < 5% of the
statutory allocation accrued to the local governments under
consideration is being expended on infrastructural development,
while > 10% is used for personnel expenditure as the cost of
delivering infrastructural development by local governments in
Nigeria. So, further researches can still be carried out on
fiscal planning by local governments for sustainable development
in the remaining local governments in Nigeria. This paper
therefore recommended that the policy/decision-makers should
make use of the findings of this study to help inform future
decisions on fiscal planning in the local government
administration in order to bring about sustainable development
to the rural dwellers in the local governments. It is found that
there is need for proactive measure for fiscal planning in order
to sustain infrastructural development in the local government
administration. Also found, is that local governments need to
put in place a good fiscal planning that will sustain
development at the local level.
Key words:
Fiscal planning, sustainable development, local government.
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12 Local Government’s Autonomy and Effectiveness in Nigeria
Abdullahi Ayoade Ahmad
dollah_8540@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
Local
government is an intermediary player between the federal authority and
the grassroots in a given society. Adequate effective local authority is
an indication that governmental policies and activities are well with
the people. In other words, the smooth running of a society needs to be
cemented from the grassroots through adequate representation, policy
formulation and implementation, and equitable distributions of resources
and services. Nigeria is one of the few countries in Africa that
adopted a federal system of government, a system that envisages autonomy
for every sector of its authorities. Unfortunately, to suit their
political agenda and interests, federal and state governments have
maintained a great level of control over local authorities. This paper
will investigate the level of privilege empowered on the local
authorities in the Nigerian constitution to discharge their duties, and
the extent to which the federal and state governments have interfered
with and influenced its effectiveness.
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13 Local Governments in Nigeria: Relevance and Effectiveness in
Poverty Reduction and Economic Development
Ito Diejomaoh (Corresponding author)
African Institute for Applied Economics
27 Nza Street, Independence Layout, Enugu
Tel: +2348059273107 E-mail: itobore@gmail.com
Prof. Eric Eboh
African Institute for Applied Economics
27 Nza Street, Independence Layout, Enugu
Tel: +2348036660475 E-mail: eceboh@yahoo.com
Abstract
This paper examines the local government system in Nigeria, its relevance and impact in poverty reduction,
economic growth and sustainable development. After a review of the local government system in Nigeria as an
example of political, fiscal and economic decentralization, it examines the nature and evolution of local government
in Nigeria as well as the roles and responsibilities of the local governments in the Nigerian context. In examining the
deficiencies of the local government system in Nigeria one of the major issues seem to be a problem of
accountability of local governments along with serious capacity issues. The paper concludes with a treatment of the
imperatives for optimising the effectiveness of local governments in Nigeria.
Keywords: Local Government, Effectiveness, Poverty Alleviation
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14 THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE ATTAINMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIVES
Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher, who was described by Dante,
the Latin poet, as the “master of those who know”, had suggested that
“definition of terms (names ) is the beginning of any discussion”
rendered in Latin as “initio disputandi est definitio nominis”. In line
with the above glaring veracity, the writer intends to give
explication of key terms used in this address. Before such an exercise
in linguistic analysis, however, permit the writer to declare that this
paper intends, secondarily, to indicate the extent to which the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals have been attained at the
Local Government level of administration in Nigeria, the Niger Delta
and our States in particular. However, the paper focuses more and
primarily on the responsibility of the local government towards the
attainment of these self-same goals.
We thus wish to explicate
the concept of Local Government and to give a cursory insight into what
the goals to be achieved are all about. Let us say here, that after
the explication of terms, we shall go on to address the historicity,
structure, finance and function of Local Government. We shall then
connect Local Government to the attainment of the Millennium Development
Goals, mindful of what they ought to do. If there are problems that
can militate against the Local Governments in their attempt to
practically address these goals, we shall discuss them, and thereafter
make some recommendations. To the explication of terms now we turn.
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15 Developing Alternative Sources of Funding Local Governments in Nigeria during Period of Global Economic Recession.
Developing
Alternative Sources of Funding Local Governments in Nigeria during
Period of Global Economic Recession 1Danjuma Abdullahi Phd, 2Zakariyau
Yahaya Kwanga 1College of law, government and international studies
Universiti Utara, Malaysia 2Department of Public Administration Waziri
Umaru Federal Polytechnic Birnin Kebbi Abstract: The paper intends to
investigate the reasons for poor performance of local governments in
Nigeria as well as looking at the alternative sources of funding local
governments been the level of government closer to the people but
unfortunately this level of government has been subjected to serious
underfunding by the other tiers of government couple with economic
recession that is affecting the globe, it is clear that government alone
could no longer continuo funding local governments, Nigeria is a
mono-crop economy that is heavily rely on oil, any fluctuation in the
oil market could definitely make a negative impacts on their allocation
and affect the rate of service delivery to the people, traditionally
local government allocation came directly from federal allocation but
for unknown reasons the state government do hijack it and gives local
government a token amount that is not even enough for the payment of
their salaries, Descriptive approach was used to gather data, the
findings revealed poor performance of local governments in Nigeria and
the paper suggest that local government should look outward for
alternative sources of revenue instead of relying on federation
allocation. Key words: Local Government; Funding; Economy and Recession
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16
Efficient Financial Management for Local
Governments: The Nigerian Experience
Olu Ojo
Department of Business Studies, Covenant University, P. M. B. 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
Abstract
This article attempts to present the local governments’ executives with a number of options to consider as
they deal with the complex and ever changing questions of financial management for the local
community. The paper provides local government officials quick access to a framework of ideas and
suggestions that work within the hierarchy of financial management. Finance is immensely important in
the running of organizations or governments. Local governments need financial resources to carry out
their constitutional responsibilities as regards providing social services as well as mobilizing available
resources for effective rural development and good governance at the grass root level. However,
investigation revealed that local government has performed below expectations as a result of poor fund
management.
This paper which deals with efficient financial management in local governments in Nigeria was written
to articulate and discuss the instruments that will help the local government councils to manage their
funds adequately and be able to perform their statutory duties accordingly. Specifically, we discussed the
various tools and techniques of efficient financial management which could assist the local government
with performing their roles. These are as follows: the use of budget, rational approach, incremental
approach, zero-based budgeting approach, planning, programming and budgeting system, audit alarm,
and auditing approach. A thorough adoption and application of these approaches will improve financial
management of local governments in Nigeria and enhance the quality of service delivery at the grass
root.
Key words:
local government, financial management, tools of financial management, service delivery
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17 Local Government and Social Service Delivery in Nigeria: A Content Analysis
Agba, Michael Sunday, PhD
Dept. of Public Administration,
Univerrsity of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State,
Email. mikagbaagba@yahoo.co.uk
Akwara, Azalahu Francis, PhD
Department of Political Science
Federal University, Taraba State, Nigeria.
Idu, Abubakar Y.
Department of Public Administration
Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria
Doi:10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n2p455
Abstract
Government exists primarily to provide services that will make life worth living. Accordingly, local governments as third tier
government are created to bring government closer to the people at the grassroots and for transformation of lives at the rural
level. One of the ways of bringing government closer to the people at the grassroots is through the delivery of service in a
satisfactory, timely, effective and adequate manner.This paper is therefore an examination of Local Government and Social
Service Delivery in Nigeria. It argues that the constitutional mandate of local governments in terms of “function performance”
has not been translated into reality. Thus, the paper concludes and recommends that local governments must attempt to
overcome the challenges that have circumvented their performance. It is only by this can they be positioned to render cutting
services in a timely, effective, adequate, prompt and satisfactory manner to justify their continuous existence and huge
financial allocations to them.
Key Words: Local government, financial allocation, rural development, performance and social service delivery.
1. Introduction
No government can satisfy me if it does not address the food poverty of Nigerians, the health poverty of Nigerians,
education poverty of Nigerians, the infrastructural poverty of Nigerians, the energy poverty of Nigerians. GaniFawehinmi(
cited in Anagwonye,2009:184)
Nigeria operates a federal system of government with a Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), 36 states and 774 local
governments. As creatures of the federal government, local governments are constitutionally mandated to perform four
basic functions: to provide a machinery for the discussion of local needs and for the provisions of corresponding services
within the competence and capability of the local area; to provide machinery for the execution at the local level of regional
or federal government policy; to provide a consensus mechanism for the resolution of conflicts of interest at the local
level; and to provide a training ground for political participation and articulation (Okoli,2000).This implies that Nigerian
local governments are to render cutting edge services that will foster socio-economic development of the rural people. If
properly managed, local governments are viable instrument for rural transformation, development and the delivery of
social services to rural communities in their jurisdiction.
Historically speaking, local governments have been assigned different functions. In colonial time, native authorities
were primarily established for maintenance of law and order. With the emergence of independence, emphasis shifted
from laws enforcement to the provision of social services (Adeyemo, 2005)
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 The State of Local Government and
Service Delivery in Nigeria:
Challenges and Prospects
Local government creates an
appropriate and conducive
environment for the people at the local
level through efficient and effective
service delivery. The value of local
government in a country is inestimable
because it is an indispensable arm of
government. As a result, the link between
the qualities of service that citizens enjoy
is very significant. The article examines
local government and effective service
delivery with special reference to Nigerian
local governments. It notes that Local
government is the closest government
to the people at the grassroots level,
so it is expected to play significant
roles in providing the social services
for the people in order to improve
their standard of living. But in Nigeria,
the impact of local government is so far
limited, especially with regard to
improving service delivery. The article
observes that despite the strategic
importance of local government to
the development process through
effective service delivery, there has
not been much development in most
local governments in Nigeria. The
article recommends that local
governments in Nigeria need adequate
autonomy that can facilitate their
operations and development of the
localities through effective service
delivery.
Keywords: Local Government, Service Delivery, Development, Nigeria.
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19 Challenges of Managing Local Government Finance in
Nigeria
Maurice Ayodele Coker , John Anyabe Adams
Department of Political Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
Email of Corresponding author: coker_maurice@yahoo.com
Abstract
Since the 1976 Local Government Reforms that were undertaken to strengthen the local system in
Nigeria, several challenges have cropped up, over the years, to impede the performance of local
government councils in the discharge of their constitutionally assigned responsibilities. One of such
challenges is the dwindling revenue base of local government councils. This paper focuses on how
local government councils manage their finances against the background of lack of financial autonomy,
corruption, and, undue interference in local affairs, especially in the areas of operation of joint statelocal
government accounts which gives the state government undue advantage over local governments.
The objective of the study to improve understanding of the revenue status of local governments so that
the public may appraise the financial challenges faced by the third-tier of government in Nigeria that
have adversely affected the delivery of quality services to the rural populace. The methodology used in
the study was descriptive qualitative analysis. The findings show that local governments in Nigeria
have not been doing well due to lack of financial autonomy, undue meddlesomeness of state
governments in local affairs, corruption among local government officials, etc. it is recommended that
full financial autonomy should be granted local councils on matters statutorily assigned to them, the
joint state-local government councils account system should be abrogated, and honest and transparent
officials should be put at the helm of affairs in the local government councils to firm up the local
government system in Nigeria.
Keywords: Local government reform; revenue base; financial management; budgeting; local
government autonomy
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20
Local Government Finance in Nigeria:
Challenges and Prognosis for Action in a Democratic Era (1999-2013)
Agba,
Michael Sunday 1;
Stephen Ocheni 2;
Nnamani, Desmond Okechukwu 3
1Department of Public Administration, University of
Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
2Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, Nigeria. Email:
stephenocheni@yahoo.com
3Department of Public Administration and Local Government,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. Email: dungabrazil8yahoo.com. (Corresponding Author).
|
Abstract
Local government finance is one of the aspects of public finance. It
deals with the generation of revenue, expenditure and utilization of financial
resources in order to bring the impact of government closer to the people at
the grassroots. Put differently, finance is essential in enabling local
governments transform the lives of the
rural dwellers through the provision of social services and rural
infrastructures like the construction and maintenance of rural roads, markets,
schools, health centers. Despite the fact that the funding of local governments
in Nigeria is an important aspect of fiscal federalism and intergovernmental
relations, it has suffered setbacks, thus, circumventing development at the
grassroots. This ugly trend is usually associated with or provoked by certain
underlying factors like overdependence on statutory allocations from the
Federation Account, corruption, tax evasion from citizens at the grassroots,
creation of non-viable local government councils in terms of the capacity to generate
finance internally and effectively utilized it for development purposes, and
lack of financial autonomy. Thus, the paper is an attempt at revisiting the
sources of local government finance in Nigeria and the factors affecting the
financial viability of local government councils within the purview of fiscal
federalism as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. Financial viability backed up by effective management; public
accountability, fiscal autonomy, staff motivation and servant leadership
attitude among politicians are imperatives in building capacity at the
grassroots for legitimacy of creation and sustainable development.
Keywords: Local Government, Fiscal
Allocation, Sources of Revenue, and Social Services
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21
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: THE MYTH, THE PARADOX, THE CHALENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD
ABSTRACT
Local government as presently structured in Nigeria has its
challenges that constitute a great hindrance to the realization of its
very essence as governance at the grass root. This laudable institution
the world over is really finding it difficult to thrive in this part of
the globe. It becomes then pertinent to ask if the problem is in the
structure, in the dynamics of operation or in the operators. Is there a
possible way out? These questions, this paper sets out to answer with a
position that the apparent failure is due to the scientific approach to
politics in Nigeria without consideration of the Sitz-im-Leben involving
the ontological and epistemological proclivities of the African which
would have resulted in “a-home-grown” system that would have been
beneficial and relevant to the people, at the same time, yield the
desired result of the involvement and mobilization of the grassroots in
governance.
Key Words: Local Government, Myth, Paradox, Problems, Way Out
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