ABSTRACT
This research work is on effect of
corruption on local government administration in Nigeria: A study of Ohaukwu Local
Government Area. Corruption is the act of diverting public goods resources and
interest for personal or private benefit/gain. The study became very essential
in order to determine the effect of corruption in Ohaukwu local government
council, also to device means of curbing the menace of corruption in the local
government system. Three hypothesis were formulated and tested for the study.
The researcher used Structural Functionalism and Hierarchy of Needs Theory to
analyze the work. The study is quantitative survey research, and the main
instrument for data collection was questionnaire. The research among other
things has established that corruption undermined the administrative efficiency
of our local government system; Ohaukwu local government has also made effort
to control and/or eliminate corruption in its council areas. It is also
established that economic dislocation, diversion of government revenue to
private pockets, payment of salaries to ghost workers, greediness, falsification
of receipts, nepotism, patronage system, extortion, bribery etc are corrupt
practices which has bedevilled the activities of local government. It is also established
in the study that the state of poverty among the local government staff
increases the rate of corruption in the system. Meanwhile, the study’s position
is that Ohaukwu local government should devise various means to improve the
living standard of its inhabitants in
order to reduce level of poverty within its council in terms of health care
services, education, water, electricity and good road network etc. The
researcher therefore recommended that in order to control and/or eliminate
corruption in the local government system, there should be public lectures on
effect of corruption in local government through workshops, seminars, etc in
the council area. That there should be strict monitoring of local government
project, taking into cognizance the cost value, materials and human resources
to avoid fraudulent act. That official position in the local government should
not be given out as compensation to party loyalist by political godfathers. The
recruitment exercise into the local government should be on transparent
procedures. Local government should improve their workers by ensuring adequate
remuneration and training. The local government senior staff category should be
made of competent men with unquestionable character. This will go a long way in
enhancing the administrative efficiency and serve as panacea to curb corruption
in local government system in Nigeria.
TITLE. i
APPROVAL. ii
CERTIFICATION.. iii
DEDICATION.. iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. v
ABSTRACT. vii
ABSTRACT. vii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS. viii
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION.. 1
1.1 Background of the Study. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem.. 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study. 7
1.4 Research Hypotheses. 7
1.5 Significance of the Study. 8
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study. 9
1.7 Theoretical Framework. 9
1.8 Definition of Terms. 12
CHAPTER
TWO
REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE. 15
2.1 Corruption: An Overview.. 15
2.2 Corruption in Local Government
Administration in Nigeria. 17
2.3 Corruption as a Factor Militating
Against Local Government System.. 22
2.4 Effect of Corruption in Rural
Development 28
2.5 Performance of Ohaukwu Local
Government so Far 30
2.6
Mechanism for the Control of Corruption in Local Government System.. 33
CHAPTER
THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN.. 41
3.1 Research Design. 41
3.2 Area of Study. 41
3.3 Population of Study. 41
3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Techniques. 42
2.5 Sources of Data Collection. 43
3.6 Method of Data Collection. 43
3.7 Validity and Reliability Test 44
3.8 Method of Data Analysis. 45
CHAPTER
FOUR
DATA
PRESENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS. 46
4.1 Presentation and Analysis of Data. 46
4.2 Test of Hypothesis. 57
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY
OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION.. 68
5.1 Summary of Findings. 68
5.2 Conclusion. 69
5.3 Recommendations. 71
REFERENCES............................................................................................................... 74
APPENDIX.................................................................................................................... 77
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1: Response on how poverty can
lead to corruption in local government system. 46
TABLE 2: Response on how poverty
constitutes the major cause of corruption in the council. 47
TABLE 3: Response on how corruption
increases the chances for accumulating wealth among the local and
non-local government staff 48
TABLE 4: Response on how increase in
workers remuneration in the local government will reduce the
corrupt practices. 48
TABLE 5: Response on the reduction
of poverty through self-help programmes. 49
TABLE 6: Response on how monitoring
project will enhance development effort of local government and
therefore reduce corruption. 50
TABLE 7: Response on how corruption
results due to inadequate remuneration of workers in local government system in
Nigeria. 51
TABLE 8: Response on how
diversification of revenue resources will reduce corruption in local government. 52
TABLE 9: Response on how Corruption
distorts the allocation of local resources and the performance of local government. 52
TABLE 10: Response on reduction in
corruption due to increase in revenue generation of local government. 53
TABLE 11: Response on frequent
occurrence of corruption among junior staff as a result of low income earning. 54
TABLE 12: Response on how corruption
leads to poor service delivery and in local government system in Nigeria. 55
TABLE 13: Response on hindrance of
good governance due to corruption in local government system. 55
TABLE 14: Response on how God
fatherism syndrome increase corruption in local government. 56
TABLE 15: Response on how corruption
has reduced the performance of local government in terms of service delivery. 57
CHAPTER ONE
The expediency for the creation of local government
anywhere in the world stems from the need to facilitate development at the
grassroots. The importance of local government is a function of its ability to
generate sense of belongingness, safety and satisfaction among its populace.
All forms of government, regimes or political systems have so far ensured the
attainment of this goal. Such strategy for ensuring national administrative
development and political efficacy is found in the concept and practice of
local government. Whatever is the mode of government, local government has been
essentially regarded as the path to, and guarantor of, national integration,
administration and development (Gboyega, 1987).
The need to look for a balanced development, maximize
citizens’ participation, and arouse government responsiveness, necessitate the
creation of the local government. The local government serves as a form of
political and administrative structure facilitating decentralization, national
integration, efficiency in governance, and a sense of belonging at the grassroots.
The local government is a unit of administration all over the world (Agagu,
2004). Although it’s a universal institution, it however, exists in different
forms and in different political systems. Whatever the form of existence, the local
government has been essentially regarded as the path to and guarantor of
administrative efficiency, effective service delivery, and participatory
development (Arowolo, 2005). It is a critical tier of government because of its
closeness to the people (Gboyega, 1987). Local government appeals to both the
people and government as a feedback institution that relays the opinions and
demands of the grassroots to a higher government (Adejo, 2003). Apart from this
feedback function, other competing functions of service delivery, promotion of
democratization at local level, and mobilization of human resources for
grassroots enhancement, place the local government in a strategic position for
sustainable development.
The local government system has been a major feature
of the Nigerian government and politics since colonial rule, over the years,
there have been changes in name, structure, and composition, while the system
was operated differently all over the country (Agagu, 2004). It was on this
premise that the rising tide of progress, growth, and development experienced
in the local government was based. The 1976 local government reform, carried
out by the military administration of General Obasanjo, brought about uniformity
in the administrative structure of the system. The reform introduced a
multi-purpose, single tier local government system for the whole country
(Ajayi, 2000). Since these reforms, successive governments have tinkered with the
local government structure with a view to enhancing its capacity for good
governance. Fundamentally, the local government is created to serve the rural
communities. The local government is expected to mobilize and harness local resources
and ensure their effective utilization, with the support of the state and
federal governments.
Rural development at 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.
After many years of experimenting
with the local government system, observers have expressed concern over the
parlous state of local government administration in Nigeria and the apparent disconnect
between it and the lives of the people. As important as this tier of government
has been, there seems to be some impediments that have been infringing on its
performance and functions in recent times.
Corruption has been described as a major cause of the
comatose state of local government administration in Nigeria, and a major hindrance to
good governance. Along with corruption, issues regarding fiscal mismanagement, gross
inadequacy of well-trained and qualified and unsuitable personnel, local leadership
crisis, political godfatherism and non-implementation of accounting and
auditing procedures to mention a few, have been adduced as some reasons for the
failure of the local government system. Unfortunately, the much needed
development has continued to elude the rural communities across the nation. It
has been rural poverty, rather than rural development. However, the prevalence
and pervasiveness of poverty and the underdevelopment at the grassroots level
is still connected with the high level of corruption and absence of democratic
ethos in the local government system. The level of corruption at the local
government level is manifested in different forms. The local governments have
abandoned their basic duties. But for the physical existence of their offices,
many local governments exist only on paper. Worse still, council officials are
adept in the collection of rates and tolls from the communities, markets, motor
parks, among others, without much thought to even maintain the structures and
facilities from which those rates and taxes are collected, let alone render
service to the people. That explains why a small culvert, for instance, that
connects two communities or neighbourhoods, will remain broken for years. The terrible state of
feeder roads, street roads, filled and over-flowing drains and inability to
clear even refuse bins are all dissatisfactions of the failure of local
government administration.
In several local government areas, it
seems they are no longer responsible for rural roads, local dispensaries and
health centres, and markets. Ironically, local governments now receive much
more money, both from federation account and internally-generated revenue.
Corruption distorts the allocation
of local resources and the performance of local governments. The consequences
of corruption are poor services, increased social polarization, inefficiency in
public services, low investment in the local government area and decreased
economic growth.
In view of the above, the
following issues my interest a curious mind as research questions:
Ø
What
is the nature and dimensions of corruption in local government administration?
Ø
What
are the causes of corruption in local government administration?
Ø
What
are the effects of corruption in local government administration?
Ø
In
what ways can local government made a service deliverable institution?
The broad objective of this study is the effects of
corruption on local government administration in Nigeria: A study of Ohaukwu Local
Government area Of Ebonyi State. The specific objectives are:
i)
To
identify the nature and dimension of corruption in local government administration.
ii)
To
find out the causes of corruption in local government system.
iii) To determined the effects of
corruption in local government administration.
iv) To recommend ways of making local
government a service delivery institution.
Ho1 There
is no significant relationship between corruption and poverty in local
government system.
HA1
There is a significant relationship
between poverty and corruption in local government system.
Ho2 There
is not significant relationship between corruption and poor services delivery
on local government system in Nigeria.
HA2 There
is a significant relationship between poor services delivery and corruption on
local government system in Nigeria.
H03 Low
development in local government is not as a result of corruption within the
system.
HA3 Low
development in the local government of Nigeria is as a result of
corruption within the system.
The significance of any human endeavour
is measured by its relevance to solving human problems. Therefore, the
significance of the study is measured by its relevance to solving the problems
of corruption and enhancing effective public administration in local
governments in Nigeria.
The project will be of benefit, first
and foremost to the Ohaukwu Local Government administration, as it will expose
to them the various ways in which efficient and proper administration of local
councils should be carried out.
Fourthly, the project will be useful
to various institutions such as the Local Government Service Commission, the
Federal Government, various state governments, universities especially Ebonyi State University, for
gaining greater knowledge and understanding on how corruption can be
ameliorated at the local level in order to improve effective governance.
Finally, the project will be useful to
the general public, organizations, companies etc that may have interest in the
project.
This is centered on the effects of
corruption on local government administration in Nigeria, but due to the wide or
vast nature of Nigeria,
the researcher now chose Ohaukwu Local Government Area as a case to deal with
this particular problem.
In view of the nature of this
study, the researcher combined two theories to backup this work. These theories
are “Structural functionalism and hierarchy of needs theory”. The choice of the
former was predicted on the fact that structural functionalism emphasis on the
effect and consequence of corruption, while the later shows shy officials
engage in corruption.
Structural functionalism theory
was propounded by Herbert Spencer, a British philosopher famous for applying
the theory of natural selection of the society 1874. He identified corruption
as a social problem. To him social problem connotes an act of a form of
behavior which constitute concern to a significant proportion of the society to
warrant a common solution by that society. The structural functionalist regard
corruption as a serious behavioural deviation hindering the functioning of the
local government. Corruption is regarded as inhibiting the needs and goals of
local government.
When corruption becomes
institutionalize in the local government system, it infiltrates into value
system, it becomes a norm, part and parcel of culture and subsequently goes
into the realm of behaviour. To this, corruption becomes social problem in the
local government that must be critically and seriously addressed. Local
government has long been treading the brink of this national catastrophe due to
almost uncontainable intensity of corruption of a viable, virile and stable
policy. Corruption constitutes the greatest hindrances to local government
development.
The hierarchy of need theory as it
relates to the effect of corruption in local government was propounded by
Abraham Maslow in 1954, after observing reactions many people had within a
defined setting. Maslow came to the conclusion that human being is waiting
animal.
According to him, corruption is as
a result of cultural relativity, low salary syndrome, imitation, institutional
and rent seeking. According to Maslow local government officials are corrupt
because their salaries are so low that they cannot make ends meet by depending
solely on their meager salaries.
According to Akindele (1995)
corruption is defined as any form of reciprocal behaviour or transact where
both the power/office holder can respectively initiate the inducement to each
other by some rewards to grant (illegal) preferential treatment or favour
against the principle and interest pf specific organization (or public) within
the system. In line with this, local government officials resort to corrupt
activities to make ends meet and help their relatives.
According to Maslow corruption
also arises as a result of workers trying to copy or imitate the life sty of
other workers/individuals believed to have reached their self esteem goal or to
have accomplished important thing in the society.
Corruption according to Maslow
hierarchy of needs theory is prevalent and reproduces in Nigeria because
of their imitation of lifestyle and behaviour of other members of the local
government workers which are or have been in position of authority.
Ohaukwu
Local Government workers are not an exemption, they are human being whose
behaviour can be influenced by social relation. According to Maslow corruption
in local government is motivated by the individual quest to satisfy their
hierarchy of needs. Nigeria
local government staff seek to satisfy socialization needs by interacting with
friends, once these needs are reasonably satisfied, they seek to satisfy higher
other needs, such as self-esteem and self actualization by using their
energies, talent and resources, where these are lacking, they devise other
means by engaging in corrupt practices.
Corruption: This
is the act of diverting public goods, resources and interest for personal or
private benefit/gain. It is an art of greediness, selfishness among men who are
in the position of authority in the society.
Local Government: A sub division of state into smaller unit for development and
administrative purpose by the federal or state government of the creation of
more development centers out of existing communities in the local government by
the state government. It is the government at the grassroots level.
Administration: This is the coordination of joint effort toward the attainment of a
predetermined goal/objective.
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