Nigerian Local Government System Research Articles

Filling the gaps in local governance: an analysis of the structure and process of informal community governance in Ibadan, Nigeria

The Nigerian local government system’s failure is widely documented, yet little is known about an alternative governance framework that communities have developed to tend to their needs. Using a case study methodology, this paper investigates the structure and process of informal community governance by which communities in Ibadan, Nigeria, fill in the gaps in local government. Documents and key informant interviews with community leaders provided qualitative data. The findings reveal that informal community governance systems are functioning well in Ibadan. Their governance process is open to all, participatory democracy is visible, and corruption is not tolerated. While Nigeria’s official local government structure lacks the governance and democratic culture essential for meaningful, long-term local development, this paper’s analysis shows that those features are being nurtured in the local community setting. The findings serve to draw attention to the need to institutionalise community governance as a form of local government capable of addressing a wide range of present and emerging community needs.

Assessment of local government autonomy and governance: A case study in Nigeria

Abstract Purpose: This paper critically examines opportunities and problems confronting the Nigerian local government system. To assess why the practice of complete local government autonomy and governance is difficult in Nigeria and suggest measures that may help improve the collaboration between the federal, state, and local government authorities in Nigeria. Research methodology: 300 questionnaires were administered to the staff of the Nkanu-West Local Government Area in Enugu State, and 276 were returned giving a response rate of 92 percent. The Marxist theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. Results: Results show that state interference in local affairs contributes to a lack of local government autonomy and governance, and the constitutional provisions portend intractable inter-government problems which make the local government a whipping child and less autonomous. Limitations: Nkanu-West local government is the only local government covered by the study. Contribution: The outcome of the study will be a contribution to the existing literature in the area of local government autonomy and governance.

Challenges of Democracy in Nigerian Local Government System: A Critical Analysis

After two decades of the return to civil rule, the not too impressive scorecard of Nigerian democracy has raised concerns and questions demanding answers as to why the country is still struggling with the delivery of democratic governance and dividends such as; social welfare, justice, even-federal development as well as equal access to national resources. The paper inspects carefully, those factors that have and are hindering the success of democracy and democratic governance in Nigeria especially at the local government level. In doing this, related literatures were reviewed while the Structural Functionalist theory is adopted as the theoretical model or frame work and the collection of data was carried out through the secondary source. The study reveals that democracy in Nigeria especially at the local government level has not done up to its expectation due largely to corruption, partisan politics, upper governmental interference, lack of local government autonomy, among others. It therefore recommends that among other things, the local governments should be granted it constitutional autonomy in powers and functions, the fight against corruption should be stretched to the local government areas while Local government officials are made accountable to the local residence and that the leaders should be more ethical in their political pursue

Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria: Its Problems and Prospects

Local Government (LG) is the closest tier of government to the people, and the quest for local government autonomy still generates exciting and healthy debate in Nigeria. This study examines critically the opportunities and problems, which confront the Nigerian local government system in its efforts to establish itself as a true tier of government. The objectives of the study were aimed at achieving some specific goals which were to find out why the practice of complete local government autonomy is difficult in Nigeria; to investigate the level of autonomy in Nigeria local government system, and to suggest measures that can be adopted to check state interference in the local government affairs in Nigeria. Three major hypotheses were formulated to guide the research. Three hundred (300) questionnaires were distributed to the staff in Nkanu west local government area while two hundred and seventy-six (276) were properly completed and returned. A five-point Likert scale was used for making data analysis. The theoretical framework adopted in this study is the Marxist theory. The proponents of this theory see local government as an instrument of the central governments, which works either as a direct means of securing proletarian compliance through suppression. The findings revealed that there were constitutional loopholes or contradiction that tends to provide the impetus for the unscrupulous state of officials to nurse the inordinate desire for hedging in the local government left, right and center. However, the findings also revealed that the area of jurisdictional rivalry between the state and local governments are mainly the lucrative ones, like rate collection, distribution of fertilizers, and other farm inputs like pesticides. Recommendations were made that local Government autonomy is anchored on an improved revenue base, adherence to constitutional provisions, political stability, accountability, and transparency in governance.

Local Government Performance under a Federal System: The Nigerian Experience

This paper examines the local government practice under the federal system of government in Nigeria. It highlights the performance of local government system in Nigeria as a federal entity. It accounts for the circumstances which underline the performance of the local government system in Nigeria and the impact on its efficiency and effectiveness. The secondary method of collecting data has been adopted in this paper and data collected were subjected to further documentary analysis. David Easton’s systems theory is employed as the theoretical framework. The findings reveal that because the practice of federalism in Nigeria has failed to take into account the heterogeneous composition of its peoples, it adopted a uniform system of local government which has failed to make impact on the people within their localities. The paper recommends enthronement of genuine and practical democratic federal cultures across the country and a fundamental review of the laws that created the Nigerian local government system with a view to evolving fewer but stronger local governments that are relatively independent, functional and adapted to meet peculiar local needs.

STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

This paper examined the structural challenges and local government development in Nigeria. Local governments system in Nigeria, has taken different forms from one period to the other. There were series of reforms in the Nigerian local government system aimed at addressing the structural deficiency inherent in the third tier of government in Nigerian federation. Suffice it to say that, the development of local government in Nigeria is almost becoming an illusion as local governments faced with multifarious structural challenges which serve as impediments to its development. The study that relied on secondary data sources through a comprehensive review of relevant literature on the subject of discussion. The paper identified constitutional crises, undue political interference amongst others as major constraints to local government development in Nigeria. The paper submits that there is need to restructure the present local government system in Nigeria by going back to multi-tier local government in the 1950’s. Areas of contribution to its development were also identified and conclude that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be amended to enable State Governments and the various State Houses of Assembly loosen their firm grip on the local governments in order to allow the local government authorities take initiative that will enhance its growth and development.

Contracting Out Services in the Nigerian Local Government: Implications for Internal Revenue Generation

The primary reasons for creating the Nigerian local government system was grassroots mobilization and development. The Council has however, consistently failed to provide critical services to the rural poor ostensibly because of poor funding. The work examined the structure, functions and accountability mechanisms of the Council vis-à-vis its revenue generation capacity. The problem identified is that the Council contracts out services and its statutory revenue sources at ridiculous prices to patrons even in the face of fiscal cutback and burgeoning demand from the critical populace. Using the Local Government Discretion and Accountability Diagnostic Framework of Analysis and Financial Agency Theory, the paper found that lack of political, administrative and financial accountability mechanisms provides the leeway for unscrupulous Council officials to grossly enrich themselves and their patrons. The paper recommends that the Public Procurement Act which emphasizes Due Process in tendering should be institutionalized by the local government. The anti-graft agencies should be repositioned to deal with treasury looters while the electoral process should be reformed to make it more transparent and inclusive.

The search for viable local government system in Nigeria: an interrogation

The history of the Nigerian local government system has been one long episode of trails and errors aimed at achieving viable local government institution without much success. Local government in the country began its long series of reforms from the colonial period when the colonial government attempted to de-concentrate the local administration as a basis for socio-economic development of the Nigerian state. With the shift in the mandate of local government from being primarily extractive, law and order agency to one engaged in grassroots development, the objective came to be re-defined as comprising bringing government closer to the people. However, the success of the local government as a veritable tool for grassroots development is largely dependent on its viability. This paper was thus inspired by the desire to interrogate why the search for viable local government system in Nigeria has been futile since the country’s political independence with a view to proffering the pathway to sustainable viable local government system capable of ensuring effective grassroots development and transformation in the country.Keywords: Local Government, Search, Viable, System, Interrogation, Development, Transformation

Structural Defect in Local Government Re-Organization in Ebonyi State Nigeria: Implications on Grassroot Democratic Development

Local government are required to participate in election, to select or chose their leaders. It is wrongly changed instead of the above procedure in a democratic governance it is been challenged by the appointment instead of elections, in the above suggestion local administration should involve the principles of election, a process of choosing their leaders, so as to allow the rural people to be integrated in the participatory process of choosing their leaders with a beacon of sense of belonging, for a better policy implementation and formulation. Nigerian local government system has been an issue of concern to both local government stake holders, scholars and political actors so also Institution of learning. The main objective of the study is to identify the challenging issues in various local government reorganization/restructuring especially in Ebonyi state and analyzes the impact on local government in democratic governance in the state. Questionnaire is used for the survey, the most significant aspect of the research goes a long way in restructuring and helping the local administration sustain and achieve its obligation.

Ethno-communal Conflict and the Local Government System in Nigeria: A Desideratum of Peace Building

Ethno-communal conflict is a major bane of the Nigerian local government system. This paper examined the social and political conditions that predispose communities and groups to conflict, the impact of conflict on the citizenry and how it vitiates development. A descriptive research design was used. The study was conducted in Nigeria between February 2012 and March 2013. Being an ex-post facto research, relevant documents on ethno-communal conflict, peace building and the Nigerian local government were consulted. The critical study, analysis and evaluation of opinions, data and other information formed the basis for explaining and understanding ethno-communal conflict, its persistence and the failure of the local government to build peace. Relevant statistics were presented to substantiate the position. Using qualitative and quantitative content analysis, the findings showed that Nigeria local government system failed to mobilize for citizenship training, reduce poverty, social discrimination and build peace and security. Statistics showed that poverty increased among the rural dwellers in Nigeria. Out of a rural population of 65 million, 17.1 million live below the poverty line with 27.2% poverty incidence in 1980. In 2010, out of the 163 million rural dwellers, 112.47 million live below the poverty line and 69% poverty incidence. Other poverty indices used showed that food

Rethinking the Role of the Military in the Modernisation of the Nigerian Local Government System

In the developed countries, the military is identified largely for their role in the defence of the country from external aggression and helping out with internal security when the need arises. On the contrary, in a number of developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, when the military is mentioned, their traditional defence and internal security functions get obscured in their political role. For a thirty-year period (1966 – 1999), Nigeria was in this category of countries where the military have combined their constitutional role of defence of the country with that of political governance. While the participation of the military in governance has substantially fizzled out world wide, their impact on the socio-economic and political evolution of the countries concerned have been enormous. This paper critically examines the local government system in Nigeria midwifed by the military in the three decades of their rule; the initial emphasis on efficiency-oriented administration at the local level, the effort which culminated in the 1976 local government reform and the issue of whether the military can serve as modernizers in developing countries. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n13p15

The General Rules and Principles of Payrolling in Nigerian Local Government System

Payrolling is the process of listing the names of people employed by either private or public establishments, showing the amount of money to be paid to each of them. There are some rules and principles guiding the Payrolling processes. Local Government system as in other establishment adopts them to ensure that worker’s salaries are paid promptly. It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to find out the extent to which Payrolling is carried out in the Nigerian local government system. During the course of this study, it was discovered that payroll officers engage in all sorts of frivolous activities such that workers have lost confidence in them. The paper did not hesitate to offer some solutions, which if adopted will rekindle the lost hope of local government workers.

An Analysis of Computerized Accounting and Payrolling System on Monthly Emolument in Nigerian Local Government

The paper focuses on computerized accounting system on monthly emolument of workers in the Payroll. Payrolling is the process of listing the names of people employed by either private or public establishments, showing the amount of money to be paid to each of them. The paper examines the pros and cons of computerized accounting system in wages/salaries administration, as well as factors that affect the applicability of computerized accounting system. It also identifies some rules and principles guiding the payrolling processes using the local government system as a case study. It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to find out the extent to which payrolling is carried out in the Nigerian local government system. During the course of this study, it was discovered that payroll officers engage in all sorts of frivolous activities such that workers have lost confidence in them. The paper argues that the expected benefits derivable from a computerized accounting system exceed the costs/challenges associated with it. It therefore recommended that employers of labour, payroll officers, and wages/salaries administrators in general should keep pace with the evolution in e-governmental system, e-ecommerce, -e-payments, etc, which are all affiliated to computer system and a critical cost-benefit analysis should be considered indispensable before a decision is made on the use of either manual or computerized accounting system in computing employees’ monthly emolument

An Empirical Assessment of Service Delivery Mechanism in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria (2003-2010)

This study is an empirical assessment of service delivery in Nigerian Local Government system using Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State as a case study from 2003-2010. Structured questionnaire made up of open and close ended questions; personal observation and interview were used to collect primary data. The secondary data were collected through textbooks, journals, newspapers, government and internet publications. Analysis of data was through descriptive statistics of pie charts, tables and simple percentages. The study revealed that Idah Local Government has averagely performed in service delivery. In spite of this, the study discovered that some of the factors affecting the discharge of service delivery in Idah Local Government in terms timeliness, satisfaction, adequacy and effectiveness are insufficient funds; irregular payment of salaries and allowances; undue political interference and divided loyalty; poor observance of the principle of meritocracy in recruitment and promotion of staff and corruption. It was recommended among others that employment and promotion should be based on ability, high performance, experience, qualification and not patronage; intensification of the campaign against corruption at the local government level by bringing to book all corrupt public officials; regular payment of salaries and allowances and increase funding backed up by prudent management. Finally, the study recommends that undue political interference in the affairs of local governments should be discouraged and stopped. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n2p621

Problems of Personnel Management in Nigeria : The Nigerian Local Government System Experience

Good organizational structure alone, does not guarantee enhanced performance and increased productivity but with well-managed personnel. Personnel is therefore, a critical factor in the attainment of organizational goals. This is because all the organizational activities are initiated and determined by the persons who make up that institution, as plants, offices, computers, automated equipments and all else that a modern firm uses are unproductive except for human effort and direction. However, these abilities and capabilities of the personnel to contribute significantly to the attainment of organizational goals have contemporary, been hindered and hampered by some issues that are amenable. The local government as an institution cannot be exempted. The importance of personnel in the local government cannot be over-emphasized, so it becomes very essential that the personnel of the local government should be judiciously managed to achieve the goals of the local government. In the light of the above, this paper examines the importance of personnel, its sourcing, recruitment and maintenance and the problems they encounter in the course of administering the local government and then proffer some tangible solutions to the problem.

Constitutional, legal and political problems of local government in Nigeria

AbstractThe new Nigerian local government system was clearly intended by its creators to be a representative and democractic system of devolution. The speed with which elected councils have been dissolved and replaced by caretaker committees and state appointees contrasts strangely with the constitutional provision that there should be a system of local government by democratically elected local councils. The constitutionality of dissolution has been confused with the constitutionality of further local government reform. Dissolution should be seen as an emergency measure to be used rarely in cases of proven maladministration by a local government. Further reform and reorganization of a state's system of local government should be regarded as a legitimate power of the state legislature. The role given by the Constitution to local government should not be interpreted as entrenching the system. Constitutional amendment is not required should further reform be necessary.