ABSTRACT
For any
organization to be productive, it must learn the effective usage of its man
power. But research has shown that there is a serious decline in productivity
and further quest into the reason for this drop revealed that the error is a
wrong thinking and altitude. Because local government affaire do not take place
in a vacuum. This wrong thinking and attitude often affects the planning,
organizing staffing, coordinating and budgeting of the council. This research
work x-rays the frequent changes in local government administration as a bane
to rural development with reference to Owerri west local government area. This
forms the basis of this research efforts geared towards injecting new ideas
into local government administration and helping to solve problem arising from
frequent regime changes. The objective of this research aims at how best to
reduce the incidence of frequent changes in the administration of Owerri west
local government which has always been a log to the wheels of development. Over
the years Owerri west has been abandoned and left to not. These local
government area suddenly became a town planner’s night more with blocked
drainages and ubiquitous mountain of reuse here and there are as a result of
the incessant changes in local government administration by successive state
chief executives. Looking back at the course of history, we shall be going down
a bloods tamed memory cane. For the 1970’s till now, government has raped the
local people by their laisset falt administration. Having elected political
representative it is expected that there should have been in existence
functional structures or aims of government at local level through which he
elected executive can make representations to state or federal government take
decision at local level, implement existing policies make by- laws where and
when necessary and take other necessary administrative steps to move the local
government for ward but this is not the case as every polices and strategies.
It is against this background that develo0pment at the local level continues to
suffer a set back. To carry out this research work a sample size of 400 was
made out of the population size of 300,500 questionnaires were made and distrusted to selected respondents when the
data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed and presented in tables it
was discovered that:
i.
development project are abandoned by successive
administration in Owerri west local government area
ii.
council members implement policies without
operation guide but as they suit their personal interest.
iii.
There is no genuine leader to pilot the affairs of
the council.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page - - - - - -
Approval
page- - - -
Dedication- - - - -
Acknowledgment- - - -
Abstract- - - - - -
Table
of contents - - -
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0
Introduction- - - - 1
1.1
Backgrounds to the study- 1-4
1.2
statement of problem- - 5
1.3 research
question
1.4 Significance
of study
1.5 scope
of the study
1.7 limitation
of study
1.8 Definitions
of terms - - 9-10
CHAPTER
TWO
2.0
Literature review - - - - 12
2.1
Introductions - - - - - 12
2.2 1976
l0cal government reform - - - 12-15
2.3 local
government as agent of grassroot development-15-2.4 local government
administration and policy implementation in Owerri west local government area.- -
Reference
- - - - - 31
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0
Research methodology - - - 32
3.1 introduction
3.2 Research
Design- - - - 32-33
3.3 sources/
methods of data collection - - - -
3.4 population
and sample size- - - 35-37
3.5 sample
technique- - - 37
3.6
validity and reliability of measuring instrument
3.7
method of data analysis
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0
Presentation and analysis of data- -38
4.1 introduction
4.2 presentation
of data - - - - 38-42
4.3 analysis
of data- - - - -43
4.4
test of Hypothesis
4.5
interpretations of result(s)
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.0
Summary, recommendation and conclusion
5.1
introduction
5.2
Conclusion - - - - - 49
5.3
Recommendations
Reference- - - - - 50-51
Appendix
Questionnaire.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF STUDY.
Local
government by Its nature is an institution established or put in place to
promote local politics. It is an organization through which political
activities, information and awareness campaign are carried to the grassroots.
It is also the political mouth piece of the rural man. The yearnings, needs and
aspiration of the local people are conveyed to the state and central government
through their various elected representatives.
To buttress
the above assertions, the 1976 guideline for local government reform in Nigeria vividly
defines local government as:
‘That
government at the local level exercised through representative councils
established by law to exercise specific powers within defined areas. These
powers should give the council substantial control over local affairs as well
as the staff and institutional and financial powers to Institute and direct the
provision of services and to determine and Implement projects so as to
complement the activities of the state and federal government in the areas so
that the local initiative and response to local needs and conditions are maximized”.
When
the above definition is examined, it implies that a local government is a
representative government; a government empowered by law to undertake certain
functions and established to implement developmental projects and policies that
affect the rural people. The above definition is true because the existence of
local government administration is aimed at the execution of developmental
policies for the upliftment of the lives of the rural people (Nworji 2004).
In a
similar vein, local government administration deals with the role of government in managing the affairs of the
local people in a particular locality. It also entails making use of the
available human materials and financial resources available to the local
government to attend to and achieve stated need, aspiration, goals and objective
of the individuals In the local community. Local government Is also a
grassroots government which is established world over not Only for the purpose
of authority maintenance, penetration of governance Into the rural areas,
consolidation of rural loyalty, obedience, political support and commitment of
the subjects to the government and state, but also for the realization of rural
development goals, increased political participation of the rural people
through their representatives who are elected and also for the contribution of
the rural people to the decision making process on Issues that directly affects
them. (Agoha 2OO4 273).
Ideally,
local government involves both legislative and executive processes operating
under democratic principle of popular participation of local people in the management
of their affairs. On the other hand, local administration is a bureaucratic process
aimed at the provision of local services. Local government administration therefore
has to do with, authority to determine policies and execute them within a restricted
area.
After
Independence,
the federal government knew that the establishment of local government was
crucial for the development of rural communities. To this end, the number of
local government areas in Nigeria
increased so as to accelerate national development. To achieve this policy of
national development, Owerri west was carved out from the former Owerri
municipal council. Since her creation, Owerri west has been abandoned and left
to not and decay by successive state chief executives.
Owerri
west local government was created in 1996 with Its headquarters at Umuguma. The
local government is made up of the following communities. Nekede,
Ihiagwa,
Ezlobodo, Emeabiam, Avu, Ofurola, Irete, Okwukwu and Umuguma These areas have
their peculiar problems some of which include bad roads, electricity, and dilapidated
road Infrastructures, poor health care delivery services etc. These and many
other problems are the challenges facing Owerri west since its creation. To
this end, different administrations have tried to tackle this problem but the
frequent changes in local government administration have always been a log to
the wheels of development.
This
situation explains why policy implantation In Owerri west ends abruptly as soon
as there is a change in administration in Owerri west and new ones formulated
to the neglect of old projects.
1.2
STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
During
the cause of this research, a handful of problems were discovered. These
problems must not be treated with kid gloves if the federal and state
government is really sincere about grassroots development, One of the problems
identified was the diversion of statutory allocation into private accounts.
There
is constitutional provision for the federal government to provide statutory
allocation for the 774 local government areas In the country. This allocation
is meant for developmental projects but one will continue to ask why nothing is
being done despite this allocations. Every organization is expected to have
control mechanisms especially as it concerns the use of scare financial
resources in the execution of developmental projects. One is forced to ask to
what extent is this mechanism employed In Owerri west local government
financial management to ensure consistency in the use of statutory allocation
for development.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This
research is structured towards achieving the following purposes:
i. to
explain why there are frequent changes In Owerri west local government
administration.
ii. how
these Incessant changes Impedes development at grassroots level.
iii. to
explain why new administration In Owerri west local government abandons the
projects of their predecessors at the expense of the poor masses who elected
them.
iv. To
explain the need for policy continuity In the third tier of government.
1.4
REAESCH QUESTION
This
research question work of this based on the of system theory. The system theory
originated from DAVID EASTON who analyzed politics from the perfected of
system.
The
research sees policy as an out put of is conceived as the result of various environments
various acted upon by the political system.
The
research conserves political active environment consist of the objective, to
i. examine how politics are formulated and
implemented.
ii. How
does the government formulated and implements policies.
iii. Is the cause of non-proper
implementation of developmental policies in Owerri west local government area
hinged on lack of revenue?
iv. Are
these developmental policies in Owerri west local government area properly
monitored?
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This
work alms towards making It possible for understanding that the administration
of council areas should remain focused and continuity in programmes be
encouraged toward the achievement of development of rural communities. The work
also emphasis the Importance of expanding the revenue base of this local
government area that is an alternative source of revenue other than the
statutory allocation, so that development will be rapid.
1.6
SCOPE OF STUDY.
This
study x-rays the incessant changes in local government administration in Owerri
west local government area. It also has some limitations that may impede the
research work. These include:
FINANCE:
this may impede or cause a bridge in this research work because the researcher
may not have enough money to cover the required area.
TIME: the time given to
researcher may be too short there he could not cover the areas he was supposed
to.
ATTITUDE:
the attitude of the Owerri west council members also was a problem because
these council members are not willing to give out any Information for fear of
being apprehended.
1.7 LIMITATION
OF STUDY
This
study is based on David Easton system theory that says “the Idea of politics as
a system has gained considerable currency in political science. The notion of
the system theory Implies that there is a disgrace of Inter-relatedness assumed
to operate within the system which consists of mutual constraining or
conditioning sort form which is distinguishable. A major condition of this
system is that, the energy that keeps the system together defers from the
environment and must be maintained so that the system will merge with the
environment.
Within
this system, energy is exchanged between limits of government such that if one
unit is been affected, all others will be affected In a varying degree
depending upon the linkage, within the system and the loss of energy In the
process of transmission. Energy is also lost In the process of maintaining the
system as an entity with its environment.
In
the case of local government as tier of government, activities is regarded as a
component part of the system, It is a unit of activities at the local and it
has interrelation with the federal and state government to make sure that there
is effective development in the system,
1.7 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
To
avoid ambiguity and proper understanding of this work, some concepts have been defined
for clarity. These concepts are:
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT: This is a government in which popular
participation both in the choice of decision maker and in decision making
process is conducted by ll bodies while recognizing the supremacy of the
central government and willing to accept responsibility for its decision.
COMMUNITY:
This is a group of people who live in a particular area and who are like
by
custom and tradition.
DEVELOPMENT:
This means qualitative human happiness and welfare of citizens of a country.
ADMINISTRATION:
This is the use of human, material and financial resources to achieve
organizational objective.
OBJECTIVE:
This is the expected result to be achieved in a particular task. It is
futuristic because it states the predetermined result.
EFFICIENCY: Is
the capacity to achieve maximum output with minimum input.
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