LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION: AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This research work seek’s to address the issue on how local government administration acts as development administration in Nigeria. In order to make this study reliable and relevant, a particular local authority among the 774 local government in Nigeria was used as a reference point otherwise known as a case study, which is Owerri west local government council in Imo State. the research work provides to us sufficient reason why we should concur that local government is an engine force that energized the rapid development of rural areas through the mobilization of human, material and financial resources. Therefore for economic objectives and social objectives to ensure that both their political objectives are accomplished the 1976 local government reform granted the authority and autonomy.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page                                                              i

Approval page                                                        ii

Dedication                                                             iii

Acknowledgement                                                  iv

Abstract                                                                v

Table of content                                                     vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0  Introduction                                                    1

1.1  Background of the study                                   1

1.2  statement of the problem                                 5

1.3  Objectives of the study                                     6

1.4  Research Questions                                                7

1.5  Significance of the study                                   7

1.6  Scope of the study                                           8

1.7  Limitation of the study                                     8

1.8  Definition of terms                                           9

CHAPTER TWO

2.0  Literature review                                             12

2.1  Introduction                                                    12

2.2  Rural and community development                           14

2.3  Brief history of Owerri- west local government     16

2.4  The role of Owerri-west government

       in the development of rural areas                       18

       References                                                      24                                                         

CHAPTER THREE

3.0  Research design and methodology                     26

3.1  Introduction                                                    26

3.2  Research design                                              26

3.3  Sources/methods of data collection                           27

3.4  Population and sample size                               27

3.5  Sample technique                                            28

3.6  Validity and reliability of measuring instrument    29

3.7  Method of data analysis                                    29

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0  Presentation and analysis of data                              30

4.1  Introduction                                                    30

4.2  Presentation of data                                                30

4.3  Analysis of data                                               30

4.4  Interpretation of result(s)                                 34

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0  Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation               36

5.1  Introduction                                                    36

5.2  Summary of findings                                        36

5.3  Conclusion                                                      37

5.4  Recommendation                                             38

       References                                                      40

       Appendix

       Questionnaire

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

       Local government is recognized as a third tier of government as a result of the federal government trying to decentralized power among the federal units. This decentralization of government power was aimed towards implementing the policies and programs of the government council, this rural area through elected member of the government at the grassroots level”.

       Local government administration mainly deals with the responsibilities of the government in Nigeria, managing the affairs of people living in a particular geographical, area usually rural people. Local government is defined as a political arrangement guided by an established low, whereby communities within different specified geographical area elect among themselves people who exercise specific power and authority granted to them by the constitution, decree and bye-law within their area of jurisdictions for the welfare of their people. (Nworje 2004:4) prior to colonial era with its subsequent indiscriminate imposition uniform native authority system, each region (later state) in Nigeria circumstances and conditions. The various traditional system of local administration was used to fasten development among the people of Nigerian.

       However, the Igbo setting (the Igbo of the oil rivers protectorate), the human and Ndi-nze controlled the affairs of the village area and organized the people in the form of local government, the masses were so native and primitive (not so civilized, informed or active) that if they are given the option to state their needs they may not place their priorities right. Their main concerns were all about good road, good pipe water, etc. the need to stimulate political and economic consciousness and also extend the goodies (eland) of government now democracy to the poor masses at rural level who constituted the greater proportion of the country’s population is now utmost and should be considered so by all concerned.

       However, this traditional rule, went through some modification which resulted to a uniform native authority system in the view of the fact that these traditional system different from one part of the country to another, the uniform native authority system that was imposed by the colonial masters recorded a success in the worth and failure in south. Prior to the time of colonial administration in Nigeria, there existed a centralized in the west as system of government.

       The presence of British people in Nigeria introduced a different system of government known “local government administration or local administration which comes in form of indirect rule system of local government was introduced in eastern Nigeria. This system had a elective principles it created a three system of government that the country, district and local councils. Subsequently in 1952 and 1955, native authority system of administration to both eastern and western part of the country was abolished, more so in 1984 and 1999 respectively there were reforms and all those were towards rural and community development. Government embarked on splitting up of are as in the smaller units to stimulate even development of rural communities according to “Yar-Adua on his maiden, broadcast he said the government has kind mind to stabilize and rationalize government at the local levels in order to harness local resources (human, finance and material) for rapid development. Local government was is the vehicle of development administration that was created to ensure the involvement and participation of the people at the local levels in decision and policies for their own progress and development. Local government was created to mobilize the people at the local level so as to harness their energies and resources towards national development. Yar-Adua also emphasized that the then federal military government believed that if is only through on effective local government system as an instrument of development administration that human and material resource could be mobilized for development rural areas. Through a democratically elected officials which is the essence of those reforms especially 1976 reform. Therefore, local government administration in Nigeria has played major roles in rural and community development. It was by this reason that Owerri-west local government area in year 1994 despite it effort make to take under development problem at Owerri-west local government” with its headquarters at Umuguma. The local government failed the myriad of problems.