ABSTRACT
This project work
examined corruption and local government administration in Nigeria.
Corruption is a practical problem involving the outright theft, embezzlement of
funds or other appropriation of the state property, nepotism and granting of
favour to personal acquaintances. It has been argued that corruption involves
behaviors which deviate from the moral and constitutional requirement.
Literatures
on corruption and administration of local government were discussed. Survey
design was employed with the use of a well structured questionnaire.
Respondents were selected based on simple random sampling technique. A sample
three hundred (300) was drawn for the purpose of gathering data. One Hundred
(100) out of the Three Hundred (300) were selected from staff of Ikeja Local
Government Council and Two Hundred (200) from residence of Ikeja Local
Government Area.
Three
hypotheses were formulated and tested with the use of Chi-Square analysis. The
analysis resulted to rejecting all null hypotheses and hence accepting the
three alternate hypotheses.
Based
on decisions of the tested hypotheses conclusions were reached that Corruption in the local government
administration is the brain behind non performance of local government
administration development wise, also Inadequate revenue affects the council administration, and
the accounting system of the local government encourage corruption. Recommendations were proffered to Ikeja Local Government, State Government
and Federal Government.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
of the Study 1
1.2
Statement
of the Problem 4
1.3
Objectives
of the Study 4
1.4 Research
Questions 5
1.5 Statement
of Hypotheses 6
1.6 Scope
and Limitations 7
1.7 Significance
of the Study 7
1.8 Definition
of Terms 8
1.9 Organisation
of the Study 9
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0
Introduction 10
2.1 Evolution and Development of Local
Government in Nigeria 11
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 32
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.0
Introduction 35
3.1
Research Design 35
3.2
Population 36
3.3
Sample and Sampling Techniques 36
3.4
Types of Data 37
3.5 Data Collection Instrument 38
3.6
Data Analysis Technique 39
3.7
Limitations of the Methodology 39
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.0 Introduction 40
4.1
Personal Characteristics of the
Respondent 40
4.2 Response
of Respondents to the Problem Areas. 44
4.3 Testing
and Interpretation of the Hypotheses. 53
4.4 Discussion
of Findings 59
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction 61
5.1 Summary 61
5.2 Conclusion 62
5.3 Recommendations 62
5.4 Suggestions
for Further Studies 64
References 65
Appendix 69
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO
THE STUDY
Nigeria as a
sovereign nation operates a federal system of government i.e the federal
government, state government and the local government councils. The implication
of this is that the three segments of governments are mutually interrelated in
a unified effort to make life worth – while for the masses.
The country’s authoritarian
leadership faced a legitimacy crisis, political intrigues, in an ethnically
differentiated polity, where ethnic competition for resources drove much of the
pervasive corruption and profligacy. While the political gladiators constantly
manipulated the people and the political processes to advance their own selfish
agenda, the society remained pauperized, and the people wallowed in abject
poverty. This invariably led to weak legitimacy, as the citizens lacked faith
in their political leaders and by extension, the political system.
Corruption may not be easy to define but, according to
Odey
(2002) ‘‘contextualizes corruption in Nigeria as the
air which every living person breathes in and out. According to him, nobody
makes any effort to breathe in the air; it comes naturally. Corruption, in Nigeria, has
become so naturalized that many of us simply becomes corrupt without making any
effort and often even without knowing it.’’
(Paul-Sewa 2011) Nowadays,
men and women have been selected or elected to undertake leadership position at
the grassroots level in Nigeria
primarily sorted out names to enrich their purses as quickly as they could and
ultimately run the budget of their various localities aground without any
visible development project to show for it. Development projects, if any are in
place after been thoroughly inflated (Lawal, 2001).
Many councils have turned
to dens of robbers and cauldrons of corruption where large chunks of their
monthly and special allocations are shared under different guises (Oyedele,
2008).
This
project work is being undertaken with a view to discovering the corruption and
administration to Local Governments with particular reference to Ikeja local
government area of Lagos
state.
Several reports suggest
that corruption in local government administration across the country has
reached an alarming rate. According to reports, local councils account for one
veritable conduit pipe through which funds ordinarily meant to change the face
of the rural populace are siphoned into private pockets.
Corruption is a practical
problem involving the outright theft, embezzlement of funds or other
appropriation of the state property, nepotism and granting of favor to personal
acquaintances. It has been argued that corruption involves behaviors which
deviate from the moral and constitutional requirement. (Paul Akpochafo 2010).
Corruption can be seen as
a diversion of resources for the betterment of the community to the gain of
individuals at the expense of the community. This is how it has affect the
local government administration, as we all know local government administration
is the management of affairs at the grass root level which presupposes that
governance has been moved closer to the ordinary people of the community for
them to participates and look after the local heritage of the people which will
further bring development to the local populace, but due to incidence of
corruption activities within the setup, it thus poses a great threat and concern to the people
which were denied of much desired social economic values and meaningful
development they ought to have and be enjoying. (Paul Akpochafo 2010)
(Daily Independent 2011) There
is a fundamental malaise in the local government system in the country and the
problem is basically with the recruitment process as well as the winner takes
all attitudes of the politicians. Since in independence, several local
government councils have been created and the constitution of the Federal
Republic Of Nigeria 1999 as amended the list to 774 local government areas
while some states have created
additional local administrative units known as local councils developments
areas.
Gathered from the
internet “politicalcorruption.net”; There are several types of political
corruptions that occur in local government, some are more common than the
others and some are more prevalent to local government than to larger segments
of the government.
Local government may be
more susceptible to corruption because interactions between private individuals
and officials happen at greater levels of intimacy with more frequency at more
decentralized levels. Forms of corruptions pertaining to money like bribery, extortions,
embezzlement and grafts are found in local government system, others are
nepotism and patronage system.
It is a matter of concern
to investigate and provide a solution on how to prevent and reduce this social
ill (corruption) to the barress minimum.
1.2 STATEMENTS OF
THE PROBLEM
Corruption as it affects
local authorities in Nigeria.
This social illness has its attendance effects on the people so much, this is
because what the local people are suppose to have are being denied of them. No
good roads, shoddy market stalls, dilapidated garages, no primary health care
centre and so on, this and many more are what local government administration
owed to the people but are not forth coming.
This calls for a great
attention to alleviate people from suffering, to also seek to show legacy and
accountability in local government discharge of duty.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF
THE STUDY
The purpose of this study
is to;
a) Explain what corruption is and to trace the
history of corrupt practices in Nigeria.
b) To explain what local government is
and give its functions.
c) Examine the types of corrupt practices in
local government administration.
d) To examine the effects of corruption
in local government administration.
e) To investigate why corruption is very common
in local government administration.
f) To suggest solutions on how to reduce corrupt
practices in local administration.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS:
In order to achieve the
purpose of this research study, the study will attempt to provide answers to
the following research questions.
1)
When
government disburses money into the coffers of local government authorities,
how do they normally spend these funds?
2)
Why
has this arm of government perform less?
3)
Has
there been an adequate generation of revenue at the local government level?
4)
Is
there any form of administrative lapses that foster corruption practices?
5)
Is
the revenue generated from local government properly managed?
6)
Does
the accounting system of the local government encourages corruption?
7)
How
does inadequate revenue affects the council administration?
8)
Would
restructuring of the local government administration mitigate corruption in the
council?
9) Has the
utilization of the Revenue Available to Ikeja Local Government produced
positive or negative effects?
1.5 STATEMENTS OF
HYPOTHESES
To provide answer to the
research questions arising from this study, the following hypotheses are
postulated.
HYPOTHESIS ONE
HO: Corruption in the local government administration
is not the brain behind non performance of local government administration
development wise.
HI: Corruption in the local government
administration is the brain behind non performance of local government
administration development wise.
HYPOTHESIS TWO
HO: Inadequate revenue does not affect
the council administration
HI: Inadequate revenue affect the council administration
HYPOTHESIS THREE
HO: The accounting system of the local government does not
encourage corruption
HI: The accounting system of the local
government encourage corruption
1.6 SCOPE AND
LIMITATIONS
In the course of
conducting this research work it is expected that the following will constitute
impediments to the effective conduct of the study
a) Time constraint within which the study must be completed.
b) Financial constraint
c) Inaccessible and inadequate data
d) Also,
combining project work with several other activities is another stressful task
that may not allow me to cover research materials extensively.
Nevertheless, I believe
the above limitations will in no way affect the reliability and validity of the
research study.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF
THE STUDY:
It will benefit the
target audience when reports of the ill of corruption practices is made known
to people, it will thus serve as a guide to them when the quest of leadership
selection is brought to bear. The people will be aware of what they ought to be
enjoying that they were prevented from.
1.8 DEFINITIONS OF
TERMS
CORRUPTION: Wrongdoing on the part of an authority
or powerful party
through means
that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical
standards. Corruption often results
from patronage
and is associated
with bribery.
EMBEZZLEMENT: It is the act of wrongfully appropriating funds that have
been entrusted into your care but are owned by someone else.
SIPHONE: To take or steal something a little at a time. Taking something that was
intended for someone else.
GRAFT: To take illicit or unfair advantage of an office or a position of trust
for personal gain.
GRASSROOTS: The common or ordinary people especially with leadership or
elite of a political party, social organization, etc
ACCOUNTABILITY: Accountability is the concept in ethics
and governance with several meanings. It is
often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility,[1]
answerability, blameworthiness, liability,
and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving.
1.9 ORGANISATION OF
THE STUDY
This study will be divided into five chapters.
Chapter one, which is the introduction, various objectives intended to be
achieved in carrying out this research work will be looked at. In addition, the
research hypothesis as well as the scope and limitation of the study will be
stated among other things.
Chapter two, which is the literature review examine the existing
literatures on Corruption in the Nigeria government as a whole then
narrowed to corruption in Local government administration with emphasis on
Ikeja Local Government Council.
Chapter three, which is the structural composition of the study, Corruption
and Local government administration will be discussed and the methods for this
research work will also be explained in detail.
Chapter four contains data analysis. The data to be analyzed will be
obtained from a structured questionnaire that will be administered to the staff
of Ikeja Local government Council its inhabitants . These data will
be analyzed through the use of Chi-Square analysis.
The summary, conclusions and recommendations will be
presented in chapter five.
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