Local Government Administration In Nigeria Research Articles

Local Government Administration and the Challenges of Bureaucratic Professionalism in Nigeria: A Study of Transition Committee in Local Government Councils in Anambra State (2015 to 2022)

The democratic essence of governance is expressed and most often experienced at the grass root. The instrument of government that conveys this is the local government through sound bureaucratic experts. But it appears that the introduction of the Transition Committee has encouraged the rescinding of bureaucratic professionalism in local government administration in Nigeria. This paper becomes imperatively tasked with ascertaining the impact of Transition Committee on bureaucratic professionalism in local government councils in Anambra State. Following this, two research questions were adopted to guide the study. First, does the introduction of Transition Committee down played bureaucratic professionalism in local government administration in Anambra State? Secondly, what factors attributed to Transition Committee are responsible for low performance of local government administration in Anambra State? Data were primarily sourced and complimented with secondary source precisely academic journals and government gazettes. Bureaucratic theory was used as relevant tool of analysis. From the study, it was discovered that majority of the members of Transition Committee in local government councils are people of poor academic qualifications with little or no bureaucratic knowledge. These personalities exhibit administrative rascality in their dealings with career civil servants and bureaucratic ignorance in the discharge of their functions. These have adversely affected bureaucratic professionalism in local government administration in Anambra State. Hence, the study recommends total administrative and financial independence in the local government councils by abrogating transition committee in local government.

An evaluation of the challenges and the effectiveness of effective local government administration in Nigeria: The way forward

Local government was created to provide certain statutory services that may be local in nature; it is believed that it is the level most suitable for that because of its proximity to the grassroots. But since Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, discharging their responsibilities effectively have been a big challenge to the local governments. This paper, therefore, seeks to evaluate the challenges that have been preventing the local government from achieving its responsibilities effectively and proffer solutions. To achieve this, the researcher adopted Content Analysis as its methodology where it reviewed the works of other researchers and writers and arrived at a conclusion based on their views and opinions. The research work concluded that most of the challenges being experienced at the local government level in Nigeria is as a result of the contradictions and ambiguities in the hastily compiled 1999 Constitution by the retreating military government of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. Some of the recommendations include the need to review the sections of the 1999 Constitution that dealt with local government in order to guarantee autonomy to that tier of government. Again, there is the need to abolish the State Joint Local Government Accounts as state governors have been diverting funds meant for development at the local government to other areas. Local government service should be made attractive like the federal and state service to attract qualitative manpower that will engender effectiveness and socio-economic development at that tier of government.

Local Government Administration in Nigeria and Pakistan: A Cross-Cultural Content Analysis

This paper represent a modest attempt geared toward a cross-cultural comparative analysis of the local government systems in Nigeria and Pakistan with the view to diagnose and brings to limelight key areas of administrative divergences and convergences for the effectiveness and betterment of both systems. The paper is purely descriptive and content analytical in which secondary data such as journals, books and online materials were used. The results showed that the local government systems in Nigeria and Pakistan share a lot of similarities and differences in terms of their evolution, functions, political and administrative structures, organs, finances, reforms for instance, modern local governments in Nigeria and Pakistan evolved during the colonial epoch when the British government colonized both countries. The diagnosis also reveals number of encumbrances such as inadequate funding and lack of autonomy which have individually and collectively continue to constitute hindrances to the effectiveness of local democracy in both countries. The paper amongst others, recommended restructuring of local governments, giving them adequate as well as granting them an unconditional political, administrative and financial autonomy as this can revamped and strengthen the institutions thereby making them more effective in delivering local democracy.

Impact of performance evaluation system on employee performance in Nigeria local government administration: A Study of Ukwuani local government administration of Delta State Nigeria

The study investigated the impact of performance evaluation system on employee performance in Nigeria Local Government Administration: A study of Ukwuani Local Government Administration (LGA) of Delta State, Nigeria. The research looked at impact of performance evaluation system such as Established Performance Standards (EPS), Communicating Performance Expectation (CPE), Measuring Actual Performance of Employee Based on Established Standards (MAPEBES), Discussion on Evaluation Result and Giving Feedback, (DERGF) and Decision Making(DM) on Employee Performance of LGA in Nigeria. The study used survey research design to collect data from targeted respondents. A total sample size of 195 was determined using Yaro Yamane's formula. The data was analyzed using simple percentages, descriptive statistics and correlation matrix was used to determine relationship that exists between the independent and dependent variables. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis through SPSS 23. The study discovers that EPS, CPE, MAPEBES, DERGF and DM has significant and positive effect on employee performance in LGA in Nigeria. The study recommended that LGA in Nigeria should uphold and magnify their established standards so as to bring about better employee performance. LG top managers should be able to relate how well their staff is doing on the task assign to them as this would enable them to build on their areas of weakness. Mechanism should be put in place to evaluate if actually the output of LG staff is in line with established standard and to reward accordingly. Also, the outcome of how well LG staff performed should be related to them so as to bridge noticeable gap in performance. Finally, making of decisions in this level of government should be encompassing and accommodative in order not to slow down performance of the employees.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC VALUE: AN ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of Public Value in the management and administration of Local Government in Nigeria. As the third tiers of Government, Local Government have the best potentials to foster generation of public interests through creation of public value in the management processes based on hominization of the functions which the third tiers of Government were established. To attain its goals, it adopted theoretical and conceptual review of literatures whereby descriptive and multidimensional frameworkwill help improve and better public services deliveries, improved administrative performance and creation of social value at the grassroots level. Limitation: The new concept of Public Value creation in Local Government administration in Nigeria will need conceptual and theoretical practices to validate the much expected good governance as the third tiers of Government which should aid visionary and missionary leadership to thegrassroots governance as its strives to deliver impactful social amenities and social governance as obliged in the federal constitution. This paper adopted narrative approach and observatory methodinto the strategic advantages and coherent approaches in bringing values to provision of public services and delivering their constitutional obligations through public utilities and services provisions, develop innovative and efficient service delivery. It ended by addressing hindrances in delivering of public values utilities and recommend panaceas for better services delivery and adoption of public value to the system.

The Historical Development of Local Government Administration and Its Contemporary Realities in Nigeria

Local government is the government at the grassroots closest to the people. It is the tier of government administration that coordinates the activities of citizens at the local community levels. Local government as a concept of government existed long before the arrival of the colonialists. There were forms of local government administrations in Nigeria before colonial rule. During colonialism, the British's indirect rule system was built upon existing local administrations in Nigeria. However, the story is not the same for local government administration regarding structure and organization in the country today. The study x-rayed the various phases and eras of local government development in Nigeria. It further analyzed the present realities of local administration in the country. The study employed a qualitative approach. The qualitative data were generated from interview responses from relevant stakeholders (such as Traditional leaders and senior local government administrative staff). Also, data were gathered from existing relevant literature. Data collected were analyzed using the context analysis method. The study revealed that local government administration in Nigeria has passed through torturous phases. It identified the lack of local government autonomy amongst others as the main challenge bedeviling its development in the country. The study concluded with recommendations to reposition local government for effective service delivery as Nigeria's third tier of government.

The Effect of Budgetary Allocation on Local Government Administration in Nigeria (1993-2020)

The Effect of Budgetary Allocation on Local Government Administration in Nigeria (1993-2020)

Rural Development and Paradox of Local Government Administration in Nigeria : Praxis and Prospects

Rural Development and Paradox of Local Government Administration in Nigeria : Praxis and Prospects

Environmental Factors and Human Resource Management in Local Government Administration in Nigeria

Human resource management is the mobilisation of available human resource in the organization to achieve the organizational goals. Human resource management activities are not devoid of challenges in any organization, including Local Government Councils in Nigeria; hence, this study identified such challenges as environmental factors and classified it as internal and external environmental factors affecting human resource management in Nigerian Local Governments. These factors were identified on account of the observed irregularities in human resource management policies and practice in the Local Government service. This study therefore aims at examining the environmental factors affecting human resource management in Nigerian local governments between 2010-2018. Data were collected from observations, interviews and documented facts on the subject matter, while system theory was used to explain the interdependence of the various departments and its effects on human resource management in the Councils. The study findings identified poor capacity building and orientation, activities of trade unions, administrative policies and politics, capacity of the Council leadership, among others as internal factors; and political, social, legal, physical, etc., as part of the external environmental factors affecting human resource management in Nigerian Local Governments. The study concluded that the internal and external factors have significant effects on the human resource management and productivity of the Local Governments in Nigeria. This study further made some recommendations on strategies to achieve effective human resource management in Nigerian Local Governments.
 Keywords: Staff development, Local Government, environmental factors, human resource management, organizational productivity.

Leadership Management and Control of Local Government in Nigeria for Grassroot Development

Local government administration in Nigeria, as the third tier of government, has been bedevilled with so many challenges despite series of reforms. These challenges were adduced to emanate for lack of proper administrative management and control as leadership is believed to be the cornerstone of the system’s effective and responsible grass-root development. Thus, this paper was informed to examine the various types of leadership styles operating in organizations as well as the local governments in the country. This was done using sources of data such as journal articles, newspapers and textbooks related to local government administration in Nigeria. It is, therefore a descriptive study that relied on secondary data sources. The paper revealed the forms of leadership styles and their challenges inhibiting efficient service delivery to the people at the grassroot level of governance in Nigeria. It concluded that the challenges are institutional and attitudinal in nature which could be addressed if there is the political will by the leaders of the local governments. It recommended a democratized local government leadership system to allow both the leaders and the subordinate to ventilate their administrative opinions in making decisions which affect the rural populace at the grassroot levels.

Blueprints for Dynamic Leadership in Local Government Administration in Nigeria

This paper examines the problem of leadership in local government administration with particular reference to Nigeria. This is done against the backdrop of the belief that leadership has failed generally in the Nigerian public service and in the local government in particular. The work depicts local government as very useful in ensuring that governments are made responsive to the needs of the people and responsible to them. This noble idea tends to be marred by leadership crises manifested in dismal and poor performances of local government administration in Nigeria. Even the various reforms carried out since 1976 have not been able to make the system effective and responsible to developmental challenges. This paper identifies, in addition to poor leadership, the problems of corruption, overstaffing, heavy dependence on federally allocated revenue, insufficient financial resources, loss of autonomy etc in local government administration. The work is a descriptive study which relied on sources of secondary data and qualitative analysis. The paper discussed a number of strategies capable of enhancing dynamic leadership in local government administration. One of the strategies is that local government leaders should adopt the transformational style of leadership. Another is that the followership should be proactive.

Residents’ assessment of local government road infrastructure delivery in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Ensuring adequate provision of municipal infrastructure, utilities and services constitutes a major rationale for the local government administration in Nigeria. This paper examined the road infrastructure delivery performance (provision, maintenance and rehabilitation) of the local administration in the two local government areas of Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Data were obtained with the aid of questionnaire and key-informant interview. Using multistage sampling, 600 residents were surveyed. The key-informant interviews were conducted on three local government senior administrative officers. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were employed in the analysis. The study found that the local administrations in the city lacked autonomy, as they practically advance the cause of the state government. Thus, they could neither initiate nor execute any infrastructure project independently. It was also found that residents in the city were often required to contribute financially towards the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure in their neighbourhoods. The study concluded that the performance of the local administration in the city was poor in terms of its statutory duty of municipal road infrastructure delivery. Consequently, the paper recommends the enhancement of the overall performance of local administration in Osun State through the granting of full political and financial autonomy to the local government.

Local Government Administration in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective

Local government administration in Nigeria is as old as history and its dated back pre-colonial era. It had been part of system of government among ethnic groups in Nigeria particularly the Yoruba in the West, Hausa/Fulani in the North and the Igbo in the East. Each ethnic group operating it as it suits their cultural value. Under colonial administration, it was known as indirect rule system. It was an attempt to govern the people through their chief. At independence and thereafter, the system has since been restructured and reorganized depending on the regime and the nature of government in power. These changes have made it to pass through series of uncertainties and with peculiar characteristics. The paper, therefore, examines the historical development of local government in Nigerian state. The research methodology is carried out through the use of secondary data. However, the paper founds out that, the current state of Local Government in Nigeria is characterised by unbridled interference of the State Government and therefore recommends that, there is need to review the Constitution to make Local Government autonomous especially on the issues of fiscal power, functions and responsibilities.

Fiscal Autonomy and Local Government Administration in Nigeria: A Study of Abeokuta South Local Government Council

Fiscal Autonomy and Local Government Administration in Nigeria: A Study of Abeokuta South Local Government Council

Interrogating the Revenue Allocation in Intergovernmental Relations, Fiscal Federalism and Local Government Finance in Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between fiscal federalism, governance and local government finances in Nigeria, focusing on the administration of local governments and other subsidiary issues on revenue generation in the country. It analysed the legal, institutional and procedural mechanisms for administration, as well as assessed the effect of intergovernmental relations on local government under federal system of governance in the country. This is with a view to providing information on revenue allocation and intergovernmental relations as important elements in understanding and addressing the fiscal federalism on local council finance in Nigeria in the context of their divergent governance experiences since the fourth republic.The paper discovered that beyond the function of revenue generation or allocation, fiscal relations influenced governance positively by creating the expediency of transparency and responsiveness in government as well as a corresponding three levels of government has responsibilities and roles to play in the lives of citizenry in order to bring governance to the grassroots. However, the work found evidences of lack of fiscal autonomy and independent of local government as well as delay in local government election has resulted to poor performance of local administration in Nigeria at large. The results also revealed that a very important factor affecting the local government administration in Nigeria still remains the overbearing contribution of about 93% oil revenue to the national income; a situation that, both state and local governments in Nigeria cannot generate up to twenty five percent (25%) of their expenditure and poor tax culture amongst the citizenry. The study concluded among others that effective human resources, improved strategy, and enhanced capacity building, are critical to improved revenue generation and allocation, which in turn could go a long way to alleviating good governance in Nigeria.

A Critique of 1976 Local Government Reforms: Its History, Structure And Impact After Forty Years In operation In Nigeria

Local Government as a political subdivision/unit is closest to the people and intracts with the locals in diverse ways that impacts citizens to feel they have government who listens and does its biddings; The absence of which leaves majority of locals with impression that there in no government or at least, it had not worked to improve the lots of its people. The aim of this study was to give a critique of the 1976 Local Government reforms: its history and structure after forty years in operation in Nigeria and to see lessons learnt if any. The study which is historical and qualitative in nature involved the use of content analysis of secondary data such as books, journal articles, case law, published and unpublished materials/reports and internet sources related to the study. Based on the analysis, it was discovered that the 1976 Local Government reforms did not satisfy a large segment of the Nigerian society. Local Governments have not been able to extricate themselves from the apron string of state and federal governments in Nigeria. The structure of power that ensures' unitaryfederal system and political value of the political elite as shown in State and Federal governments interventions in the affairs of Local Government have gone a long way in diluting the innovations brought about by the entrenchment of Local Government as a tier of government. Finally, the study concluded that the defects which warranted the 1976 reform and restructuring of Local Government were sufficient but noted sadly that they are far from being resolved although the revolutionary approach to the structure, functions, powers and staffing in the Local Government Councils laid the foundation of modern local government administration in Nigeria

Appointment of Non-Elected Political Functionaries and Its Implication on Local Government Administration in Nigeria

Nigeria is a federation with the component units saddled with different responsibilities. The local council is the level of government vested with powers to facilitate grassroots development and collaborate with higher levels to foster economic development. Regrettably, the local governments are more like shadows of themselves. One notable challenge the third tier of government had consistently encountered is political interference, especially the unconstitutional appointment of caretaker and transitional committees to manage the affairs of the local government. Thus, this paper examined the factors responsible for the appointment of non-elected political functionaries and its implications to the councils. Survey research design was used for the study, six of the twenty local governments in Ogun State were selected from the three senatorial districts. Sixty three unstructured interviews were conducted and 1,800 copies of a self-constructed questionnaire were administered. Findings revealed that four major factors necessitated the appointment of non-elected political functionaries and these appointments were more of compensation for political patronage than anything else. The consequences of such appointment is that these appointees serve the interest of their political god fathers rather than the wishes and aspiration of the masses they supposed to serve. The paper recommended that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria should be amended to accommodate the tenure of political officers at the local government level. A period of four years is therefore recommended for the elected functionaries.

Environmental Factors and Local Government Administration in Nigeria : A Study of Ede North and Ede South Local Government , Osun State , Nigeria 1999 - 2014

Environmental Factors and Local Government Administration in Nigeria : A Study of Ede North and Ede South Local Government , Osun State , Nigeria 1999 - 2014

Governance and Constitutional Issues in the Nigerian Local Governments

A challenge gaining momentous notoriety in the discourse of governance crisis is the pattern of underperformance at the grassroots. This paper delved critically into the factors that accounts for this oft-touted performance crisis, with emphasis on areas of the discourse not hitherto examined. Focusing on peculiar characteristic of the Nigerian state, its ‘unitarised’ federalism occasioned by prolonged military administrations, regional politicking, and constitutional subjugation into excessive control from the component units, the paper interrogated what the fates of the local government might have portend were contrary to be the cases. Added to this is the pervasive corrupt environment and administrative bottlenecks under which the local government administration in Nigeria is subjected. The paper concluded, among others, that proper devolution of powers is critical to enhanced service delivery at the grassroots in Nigeria.

Local government administration in Nigeria: the search for relevance

In the general discourse on the local government system in Nigeria, two major influences are notable: the intervention of the military in politics, and the 1976 reform of local government. However, the 1979 constitution, which provided the legal framework for the 1976 reforms, plunged the local government system into a crisis of identity, and ever since local government in Nigeria has remained an idea in search of relevance. This paper examines both the inherent weakness of the constitutional foundation and the contradictions created by the 1976 reforms. Using a theoretical analysis, the paper finds that the combined effects of constitutional gaps and reform contradictions have rendered Nigeria’s system of local government an unfortunate ‘orphan’, and that, lacking a strong constitutional foundation, local government in Nigeria has been subject to the whims of both state and federal governments. The paper argues that, despite numerous constitutional developments, current constitutional provisions for local government in Nigeria leave much to be desired. The recommendations to improve the system include that: local government should be given the status of a federating unit in the constitution, with its powers and functions clearly spelt out; the constitutionally mandated State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA) should be abolished; and the constitution should be amended to create a chapter which guarantees the identity and autonomy of local government as a third tier of government.