TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.2
General Overview
1.3
Statement of Problem
1.4
Objectives of The Study
1.5
Statement of Research Questions
1.5 Statement
of Research Hypotheses
1.6 Significance
of the Study
1.7 Scope
and Limitation of the Study
1.8 Definition
of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Background
of Study
2.3 Creation
of Local Government
2.4 Administration
and Organization of Local Government
2.5 Purpose
of a Local Government
2.6 Theoretical
Framework
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODS
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population
of the Study
3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques
3.4 Re-Statement of the Research Questions
3.5 Re-Statement of the Research Hypotheses
3.6
Data Collection
Instrument and It Administration
3.7 Validity
and Reliability of Data Collection Instrument
3.8 Method
of Data Analysis
3.9 Limitations of Methodology
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
4.0
Introduction
4.1 Data
Analysis According to Research Questions.
4.2 Other
Research Questions
4.3
Test of Hypotheses
4.4 Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0
Summary of Findings
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
References
Appendix: Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
GENERAL
OVERVIEW
The
local government system in Nigeria
has undergone several reforms, among which were 1976, 1984 and 1991 reforms
respectively. The reasons for these reforms were to make the Nigerian Local
Government virile, independent and more functional.
Literally,
local government can be defined as government at the local level exercised
through representative councils. Local government are to exercise specific
powers within deferent areas. These should give the councils substantial
control to initiate and direct the provision of social services, in order to be
able to determine and implement projects to complement the activities of state and federal governments in the areas
(Olalekan, 2007: P.1).
Local
government according to the United State Office of Public Administration (1983)
is defined as political sub-division of a nation state, which is constituted by
law and have substantial control over local affairs including the power to
impose taxes or to exact labour for prescribed purposes.
According
to the 1999 constitution, Local Government is seen as the third (3rd)
tier of government, which affords the people the opportunity to participate
actively in government.
As
late as mid-nineteenth century, Andrew Jackson the then president of the United State
asserted that the task of government was sufficiently simple and that any
person of intelligence could perform them without preparation or training.
Even
in a modern times when the responsibility of government for social and economic
development has assumed greater magnitude and demands exacting standards of
sufficiency, the impress persists that the functions of local government are
not to be taken too seriously (Olowu Dele and Sako, 2012). The aims and
objectives of local governments are to recognize the increasing roles of
government in the management of resources and the provision of essential
services to the community.
Community
can be defined as a group of people living in a geographically, defined area or
a group that interacts because of social, economic or political interest. There
are thus many communities, like Ifelodun local government, have different
needs, some of which the local government is expected to provide through
meaningful projects with the objectives
in some cases generating revenue for the sustainability of the projects.
(Gboyega 2013: P.5).
Generally,
funds are always the main stream through which the survival of any organization
depends, especially on execution or carrying out it civil responsibilities. The
federal, state and local governments like any other organization have range of
functions, which they are expected to perform. These functions vary from higher
authority to lower one. In addition to the maintenances of law and order, there
are other functions like the provision and maintenance of certain social
amenities and services.
For
the three (3) titers of government to perform these function effectively, they
need funds, they must have adequate financial resources. Local government
generates their funds in two (2) common ways, through Internally Generated
Revenue (IGR) and Statutory Allocation. The IGR are revenue generated within
local government area, like rates, fine
etc, while statutory allocation are funds from the federal government
allocation, Value Added Tax (VAT), state statutory allocation, that is 10
percent of the state’s resources.
However,
the three (3) tiers of government have their own way of sharing the nationally
collected revenue, which is based on the revenue allocation formula. Even with
the funds from central pool, staffs of local government face a problem of
several fiscal imbalance, their revenue is very small compared to their
expenditure.
Bearing
in mind that they are the closest to the rural populace and so, have more
burden as to the execution of projects that have direct bearing to the common
man. More than 90% of the local government revenue comes from the statutory
allocation and is not enough to fund the expanding need of the people, bearing
in mind also the recent steady and
progressive decline of the statutory allocation in accruing to local
government, teachers salaries are deducted from it. These have left many local
governments in a state of object penury. Lack of finance is the greatest
obstacle to rapid socio-economic development of local government.
This
research work is an attempt to highlight the problems and prospects of
internally generate revenue of Ifelodun local government. Revenue records and
financial regulation by the council are discussed together with the short
comings and other related constraints.
In this regards, problem of collecting revenue, functions of revenue
collection agencies, auditing and supervision, as well as revenue mobilization
will be the main focus of this research work.
From
the foregoing, it is clear that local governments are to bring development,
better life to the people at the grassroots. The local government under review,
Ifelodun local government was created or became an autonomous, local government
entity in October 2003, with Prince Taiwo Adenekan at the helm of affairs and
as the head of the interim management committee (IMC).
During
the 1976 local government reforms, Ajeromi-IFelodun local government became
known as Awori-Ajeromi District council and during Brigadier Obasanjo’s Regime,
Awori-Ajeromi was merged with Badagry local government. In 1980, during the
civilian era of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, twenty-three (23) local government areas
were created and Ajeromi-Ifelodun came into being. Shortly later, the then
military government reversed the status to
an area office under OJo local government.
Ajeromi-Ifelodun
Reclaimed its status in November 1996 when the federal military government
announced the creation of four (4) more
Local Government Areas in Lagos
State.
One
cannot discuss the historical perspective of Ifelodun Local Government Area in
isolation without providing an insight into the definition of traditional
boundaries of rural/chieftaincy families. The main reason is families by virtue
of inheritance and blood lineage have been the bonafide owners and custodians
or land in all ramifications. Thus it is instructive to emphasize that land
matters be it in the Old Ajeromi-Ifelodun entity or in newly created Ifelodun
entity or in broader perspectives in Lagos
State isstill vested
exclusively on the indigence and aborigine settlers, and they exercise
ownership and jurisdiction on demarcated boundaries and sphere of control.
Ifelodun
local government, as it is presently constituted, comprises of five (5)
district communities that evolved from generation to generation with common
similarities. The five(5) communities are namely:- AMUKOKO MOSAFEYO, LAYENI, ABULE KEKE, ALABA ORO and
OKE OYA ORIDILU.
Historically,
what is now called Ifelodun is part of the vast Ojora land stretching up to
Orile part of Surelere, Ebute Iganmu, Ajegunle and part of Apapa. Ojora family
like their counterpart Aborigine landowning families are the descendants of the
first and early settlers on the Islands of Eko now Lagos. Iddo including Otto and Ebuute-Metta
on the mainland. These early settlers
were undoubtedly Aworis, stock of Yoruba’s, mainly hunters and fishermen who
migrated from fishing settlements to the
mainland and crisscrossed from coast to coast to resettle at different
locations within the passage of time.
For
administrative purpose, the local government
(Ifelodun) is headed by the chairman, followed by the secretary, then six (6) heads of
departments heading the six (6) various departments in the local government
council under which there are also various sectional heads heading the
sections.
1.6 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Local
Government authorities in the country have been criticized for their
inefficiency and ineffectiveness in rendering services to the citizens. Even
debates, seminars and workshops have been organized to sanitize and improve the
functioning of local governments in Nigeria.
However,
financial administration in Ifelodun local government is defective because some
of the Officers created to support revenue generation are badly directed and
lack focus. At the end of the day, the cost of setting up these offices out
weights the benefits expected, yet they are retained and maintained at the expenses.
Of development project in the name of indigenization.
Corruption
also, has eaten deep into the socio-political fabric of the local government.
Large percentages of revenue generated are diverted to private pockets or
traceable percentages of revenue generated are diverted to private pockets or
traceable to project that are of no benefit to the society.
Due
to the recent decline in its allocation from the federal account, Ifelodun local government
internal revenue mobilization, collection and management has become a center
issue to the successful operation and management of the local government,
because its allocation from the federal account cannot finance its programmes,
prospects as well as pay its staff salaries.
As
a result of fluctuation in the federal allocation to the local government,
which form more than 80% of Ifelodun local government sources of income, the
local government find it necessary to redirect its effort to polices that will
improve its internally generated revenue. It is this precarious financial
situation of this local government that arose the interest of the researcher to
look into the problem and prospect of the local government Internally Generated
Revenue.
1.7 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This
research has been motivated by the need to find out if local government can
reduce their over dependence on statutory allocations. Having identified the
threats and opportunities open to the local councils on internally generated
fund, it will assist them to broaden their revenue base through finding
solutions to the problem and re-directing their efforts in the direction of the
identified opportunities.
The
following are the remaining objectives of the study
·
It will also look into the factors,
which are likely to promote or retard the performance of Ifelodun local
government.
·
To find out how public sectors are
organized and how is planed in order to ensure the realization of the
organizational goals with special reference to Infelodun local government.
·
To know whether bad administration can
cause inefficiency and ineffectiveness of grassroots government, with special
and particular references to Ifelodun local government.
1.4 STATEMENT
OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Is
Local Government an agent of change in community development.
2. Is
there a relationship between Local Government revenue and community
development?
3. Is
there relationship between Ifelodun Local Government internally generated
revenue and community development.?
4. Does
Ifelodun Local government have sufficient revenue generation means to
accelerate community development.?
5. How
well does Ifelodun Local Government utilize money generated internally in term
of community development?
6. How
useful can Ifelodun Local Government be in forgoing community development?
1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
This
study will be geared towards testing the following hypotheses.
1. Local
Government is an agent of change in community development.
2. There
is a relationship between Local Government revenue generation and community
development
3. The
effect of Ifelodun Local Government internally generated revenue will be felt
by the people in community.
1.9 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
study which is an attempt to diagnose the effect of local government Internally
Generated Revenue on community development is of immense importance to:
The
organization under consideration that have some qualified revenue staff
responsible for the revenue aspect of the organization, but weaknesses still
arise in the process of revenue generation if the researcher in the process of
this work identifies any weakness and can seek opinion of the staff concerned
as to the existence or non-existence of such weaknesses. The local government
can use such information for improved revenue generation.
This
work will serve as secondary data to future researchers who also intend to
carry out research on the effect of local government internally Generated
Revenue on community development. It will also help students in the school of
business studies and department of local government studies in having an
in-depth knowledge of revenue matters.
1.10 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The
study is designed to cover the effect of local government as it reflects the
performance of Ifelodun local government as a characteristic and function of
the community development, they are not- withstanding criticized generally for
inefficiency, ineffectiveness and failure to achieve goals. The study is
limited to Ifelodun Local Government only and no other Local Government organization.
The
study is limited, based on the fact that there is no time and material
resources to see to the whole local governments in Nigeria. These findings may not
reflects, or be valid for the whole local government in Nigeria, but by
and large, what happens, in Ifelodun local government can be said to apply to
other local governments.
Lastly
finance and time was another major problem faced by the researcher. It is
general knowledge that every research work requires money to be accomplished,
the researcher, been just a student
encountered some difficulties in getting the required fund for this project
work, shared the limited time with other academic work.
1.11 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Local Government: Local
government could be seen or defined as a legally constituted body, created at
the local level, purely for development purpose. Put in another way, it is a
springboard for rural development.
Development: Development,
like other revolutionary slogans, has various meanings to various people. In
many countries, the word connotes industrialization. To some, it symbolizes the
achievement of political intendance, in others, it indicates opportunity for
education, the construction and provision of infrastructure for development,
and the achievement of instantaneous, worldwide communication.
Community Development: A
community is said to be a group of people living in a geographically, defined
area that interacts because of political, social or economic interest. However,
community development simply means bringing advancement, better life, provision
and maintenance of social amenities and services to the rural populace.
Planning: Planning
is the life wire of every nation, “meaning a nation without plan is like
sailing a ship without compass”. Planning can be defined as the analysis of
their relevant information from the present
and the past and an assessment of probable future development, so that a
course of action (plan) may be determined.
Budgeting Budget
according to Wildarsky include:-
·
A plan of work
·
A prediction
·
A link between financial resources and
human behaviour to accomplish policy objectives
·
A mechanism for making choices among
alternative expenditure.
Revenue Generatio:
These are revenuer or funds generated within the local government Area like
rates, fines, fees etc.
Statutory Allocation:
Statutory allocation are funds assigned to the local government, from the federal
account. Example of these funds are
Value Added Tax (VAT) State statutory allocation.
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