ABSTRACT
This deals with Local government as
an instrument of development. This is important because Local Government is
closer to the people. And its financial capability will enhance development in
Nigeria.
The data collection from both primary
and secondary sources through the use of questionnaires and library materials.
The findings discover that, the
development of Shomolu Local Government is hindered by workers attitude.
It is therefore recommended that
motivation of workers will enable them to put in their best and there should be
proper funding of the Local Government with this the local government will be
able to deliver service to the people.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 Background
of Study
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
1.3 Objective
of the Study
1.4 Hypotheses
1.5 Scope
and Limitation of the Study
1.6 Significance
of the study
1.7 Definition
terms
1.8 Organization
of Work
CHAPTER
TWO
2.1 Literature
Review
2.2 Concept
of Local government
2.3 Functions
of local government
2.4 Local
Government Justification
2.5 Concept
Development
2.6 Local
Government as an Instrument Development
2.7 Causes
of Underdevelopment at an Instrument Level
2.8 Way with
which local government can improve in an
Instrument
development
2.9 Theoretical
Framework
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0 Research
methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research
Design
3.3 Research
Instrument
3.4 Sample
and Sampling Procedure
3.5 Population
of the study
3.6 Sample
size of the study
3.7 Method
of Distribution
3.8 Sources
of data collection
3.9 Method
of Data Presentation
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0 Data
Presentation and Analysis
4.1 Part
one section: Personal Data of Respondents
4.2 Part
Two: Hypotheses Testing
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.0 Summary,
Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
Bibliography
Appendix
(Questionnaires)
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 BACKGROUND
OF STUDY
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The essence of government at any
level is to ensure the upliftment of the human condition through the people's
participation in the "determination of the decision which affect their
lives at all levels and at all times". And this virtue is enhanced by the
presence of democracy in any system, which enables the people to liberate their
energies through the freedom and liberty they enjoy under such system. However,
the ability of any society to achieve these goals depends in the final analysis
on the extent to which both her leaders and followers are prepared to make
structures and instructions put in place for good governance work. And this has
been the major challenge facing an instrument development government in
Nigeria.
To be sure, Local Government
Administration IS
the oldest system of government in
Nigeria, and it predates colonialism. Indeed, prior to the coming of the
Europeans, Local Administration existed in various communities across Nigeria
Dr. Akhakpe Ighodalo a Nigeria attempt at defining the concepts, Local
government, democracy, and development has always been a hard task because
these concepts according to him, belong to the contested category, however, a
sketch of some definitions of these concepts could be helpful. According to him, Local government can be referred to as that level of
government closest to the instrument that provides for the needs of the people
at this level. And according Bello Imam, local government is "that unit of
administration with defined territory and powers, as well as administrative
authority with relative autonomy" and this unit of administration could be
elective or appointive.
Infact another definition sees Local
government as that substructure upon which the super-structure of state and
federal government are erected. Local Government Lacks a Universally accepted
definition, and what we have is plathoral of it, meanwhile United Nation of
Public Administration which defines Local Government as a political
sub-division of a national or state, which is constituted by Law and has
substantial control of Local affair including the power to impose taxes or to
erect labour for prescribe purpose.
Oyewole who in Nigeria describe Local
Government thus government at the Local level exercise through representative
council established to law also exercise specific power within definited areas.
And in 1910, in the views of Dave and Oyewole is a system of government to
perform Local functions. And the activities of Local Government and the
government in general is increasing to meet the endless challenges of our time
i.e., the delivering of social services to the people at the instrument level, and also transforming the
rural areas. These definitions are in line with a unique model of federal where
Local Government is conceived of, as a third-tier of government with
constitutional responsibilities. And what this suggests to us is that under
this system of government administration is assumed to be relatively autonomous
of the other two tiers of government i.e. that's State and Federal.
Thus autonomy within a federal system
that Nigeria operates. It is an autonomy which requires not just the legal and
physical existence of an operations of government like a legislative assembly,
governor, courts, so each government must exist not as an appendage of another
government in, as autonomous entity in the sense of being able to exercise its
own will in the conduct of its affairs free from directions of another
government.
In past years it was Sir Goldie, who
laid down the guidelines for indirect rule in 1886, and observed that Nigerians
would rather be misgoverned by their own government or leaders than been
governed by the British officials. And according to Goldie, it is obvious that
traditional authorities in the colonies should be recognized and the
metropolitan power should seek to rule through these traditional authorities in
accordance with their social and political institutions".
Orewa and Adewunmi, 1983; and also
Lugard reckoned that if the people were given some degree of local autonomy,
they would be contented and remain
peaceful and loyal to the colonial government by then, and following the
amalgamation of Northern and southern protectorates in 1914.
Local government started having
problems after independence in 1960, which was with the politicians especially
in the South where Local Government Councils officials were victimized and
their councils dissolved. And under Alhaji Ladoke Akintola (Edosa 1994: 64),
The coming of the military in 1966 also brought new Sole administrators that
were appointed the local government councils. And the military also adopted,
local administration in place of local government. And to refer-back in the
views of Dare and Oyewole in their own system is to perform local functions and
also transforming the rural areas, examples; Education, Electricity, water
supply, reconstruction of lapidated building, road networking, Hospitals and
civic, centers empowering the youths, small scale industries for creating jobs
opportunities, and also uplifting social awareness'.
In these definitions are no means
exhausting, however put in together, local government at the local level,
government at the instrument, and according to Abraham lincon, is government by
the people to the people at the local level. Local government is government
that is closer to the people at their various localities, and it is also a
subordinate administrative system, by which the affairs of a country or station
are managed. And local government is embodied in a defined territory and at,
it's own is a separate entity on its legal district. Local government is such
an instrument.
Ø It is a tool for development at
different locality.
Ø It is also a tool for mass
mobilization and political participation at sub-division level.
Ø It is not complete autonomous but enjoy
the level of autonomy.
Ø It can formulate policy and implement
such within the ambit of law
Ø It has liberty to raise funds or
generate its own revenue .
Ø It should have a governor body whose
leadership and membership should be elected.
Ø And above all, it is an instrument
for rural and national development.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It has been argued in recent times
that there have been consistent inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the area of administration, in the area of
administration in the Nigeria local government due to the following.
The Nigeria State and its local
government has for a long time been groping in the dark, politically
directionless, economically huge but hopelessly managed. Humanly endowed but devastatingly
impoverished. We are not getting our politics right both in State, Federal and
local level. They are serving as checks on the excesses-cum-ignorance of the
politicians, rather, they constellate to form rackets that jointly banquet on
public resources, and it is on this note that they study concluded that except
something drastic is done to restructure the local government system.
Lack of professional personnel in the
running of local government have encourage inefficiency and low result as
regards in an instrument development. Inadequate motivational factors have
greatly contributed to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of all roles
performed by local government officials to enhance socio-economic development.
Unavailability of modern equipment in our different local government have made
it impossible to carry out some essential services that needs urgent
implementation and responses. Local government are faced with inadequate financial
support from the central government, public and private sector in the country.
Meanwhile, the size and structure of
local government in Nigeria is recognized as a factor responsible for
ineffective and inefficient service. The system of operation in the Nigeria
local government system encourages red-tapism as a means of decision-making,
crating unnecessary delay in policy formulation and crating avenue for
diversion of public funds into personal pockets, and the poverty level in the
country also provides a leeway for the executive to induce corruption in both
local government, state government even to federal but still no way. So lack of
proper political education background is also responsible for lack of
development at the instrument level. Obviously, corruption in its entirety is
also another hindrance to development.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study is to
examine and determine the various ways in which local government affect the
development at the local level, with Nigeria tortuous democratic transition to
the fourth republic-on-May - 29, 1999 hopes are high once again about the
possibility of the sustenance of democratic values in the country.
One of the fundamental goals of any
level of government is to make "possible the full moral and human
development of the individual, and it is when this is achieved that government
can demand loyalty from the people, who in turn can invest it with right and
legitimacy to carry on its policies, programmes and projects. Using Shomolu
local governments as research case study; At the heart of this intrigue lies
the issue of autonomy for local government as Oyediran and Gboyega note; what
really makes a system local administration rather than local government is the
degree of independence and autonomous powers that functional bodies operating
it enjoy.
However this study will also examine
the issue of inefficiency and lack of professionalism in the local government
system and also suggest ways of improving these shortcomings to constitutional
guarantee of the functions and responsibilities of the tiers of government has
been ensured for local government and also to avoid a continuous prolong case
of these issues in other to encourage more participation of individuals and
groups towards development.
1.4 HYPOTHESES
The hypotheses formulated for this
research is as follow:
i. There has not been development because of
the attitude of workers towards local government activities.
ii. Workers that are appropriately rewarded
are likely to perform more effectively towards the instrument development.
iii. Federal government policies for local
councils tends to determine the level of development at the instrument level.
iv.
Standards were set for the creation of
local government across the country such as how to elect officer, into local
councils, it specified their functions and defined their sources of finance.
v. All these were given constitutional
backing in the fourth schedule, and this reform took place under the
Mohammed/Obasanjo administration.
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is centered
on local governments particularly Shomolu Local government on the enabling
fundamental contribution made towards, instruments development and their roles
in nation building and also its effect on the common people.
While the limitation of the study is
properly and systematically conducted, and it is native to believe that this
study has no shortcomings. Thus the limitation of this study is as follows:
i. Lack of Data: This is as a result of the
unwillingness of personnels to freely and adequately inform about the topic.
ii. Financial constraint is another
unavoidable factor faced during the course of this research as funds is needed
to visit the different local government which is distance far from each other
and to libraries in the quest for more research materials.
Shomolu local government thereby
making research limited to few information which is due to lack of proper
organizational structure.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This significance of this study is to
determine in all aspects the impact of local government and governance as
instrument development with respect to Shomolu local government and will also
be useful to other government agencies, ministries, state government and
sub-government departments.
Furthermore, this study will be
useful in assisting the local government in the development of the grassroot or
instrument section which is their major priority and equal merge policy
formulation to implementation and also directing the minds of local officials
on good policy formulation that will enhance local government as an instrument
development.
So in most cases, this research is
very much useful to the researcher in areas of knowledge broadening and also to
other researchers.
1.7 DEFINITION OF CONCEPT
Red-tapism- this is a system of
operation where procedures are used before arriving at a logical decision,
however, scholars regards it as bureaucratic.
Statutory Allocation: This is the annual allocation of
resources due to local government by the "federal government from the
federal account, which is used for the development and management of local
authorities.
Ordinance: Laws in a town or country which
states that a particular things is not allowed or at times limited to certain
extent.
Integration: Joining the life and customs of a
group of people or society.
Grant: This is also known as financial
assistance of the local government to carry out some basic projects and are
made available by the state government and at times from private organization
existing in the same locality.
By - Law: A law passed by the local government
in order to ensure and maintain law and order, within the locality. And these
also empowered to punish anyone who contradicts or breaches these laws.
Instrument: This refers to the ordinary citizen
or put differently the common man in the society.
Development:
Thought instrument development has different definitions, it is defined for the
purposes of this research as a transformation of environment or people's lives
from a situation considered unpleasant to a pleasant situation.
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF WORK
This project work will consist of
five chapters.
Chapter One
1.1 Introduction:
Background to the study
1.2 Statement
of the problem
1.3 Objectives
of the study
1.4 Research
hypothesis
1.5 Scope
and limitation of the study
1.6 Significance
of study
1.7 Definitions
of concept.
1.8 Organization
of work
Chapter Two: This chapter contains the literature
review and the theoretical framework.
Chapter Three: This chapter-contains research methodology.
Chapter Four: Introduction of Analysis of data.
Chapter Five: Summary, conclusion, and
recommendations.
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