LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION 
Local Government exists to fill the gap, which the national government is too remote to fill. This means that local government complements and extends the national government. It has been recognized as one important instrument for rural transformation and for the delivery of social services development has passed through some stages of reforms since its evolution.
In Nigeria, local government as the third tier of government nearest to the people has been recognized as an institution capable of transforming the are’s of the rural inhabitant .
Consequently, there has been continuous attempts either to create new local governments or lamp the existing ones in the country with the objective of utilizing them as fulcrums for achieving national development.
There has been an increasing upsurge of interest in the literature of development administration and in planning circles on the positive role local government could play in national development. The emphasis is in terms of using local government as a strategic instrument for fostering, promoting and implementing national development projects.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 
Local government administration is used as a form of devolution of powers of the state. It is the government at the grass root level that is designed to serve as instrument of rural transformation and development to the society in general.
Local government in Nigeria plays immense role especially in promoting, co-ordinating and providing community amenities as well as encouraging greater mass participation and involvement in the running of local government affairs and the use of local resources to the optional level. From ideological perspective, local government for tiers the principle of democracy as local government rings government nearer to the people and if properly designed gives room for mass participation in governance.
Furthermore, local government are designed to achieve multi-dimensional goals in terms of economic, social and political development local government, which is the focus of this write up is responsible for the provision of basic community requirements. To achieve its objective, Aninri Local Government should be adequately funded, and manned by well trained, dedicated personnel.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The creation of Aninri local government in 1996 by the military government under late General Sani Abacha’s administration was meant to bring development to the doorsteps of the various communities Viz. Ndeaboh, Mpu, Okpanku, Oduma and Nenwe. It is important to sate that local government should not be abandoned while drafting the constitution in order to strengthen the importance to national development. The autonomy of the local government should be recognized to enable it serve as effective third tier of government as stated in the constitution.
Aninri Local government has not been granted enough financial status and power to sustain itself and be able to provide welfare services. Again, community dwellers hardly assist the local government in implementing government projects and this is serious set back to the delivery of qualitative and qualitative services to the local communities.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 
The creation of local government by the federal or state government is to bring government closer to the people and also foster the development of the local citizenry
The following are the objective of this study;
1. To ascertain whether Aninri local government council is able to accelerate development in terms of national development
2. To find out whether corruption among Aninri local government personnel affected the execution of community development projects.
3. To examine whether lack of adequate finance has hindered national development in Aninri local government area.
All these will be assessed and examined in order to ascertain those things that are likely going to act as a cog on the course of implementing national programmes in the local government.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Having surveyed the objectives of this study, the following research question arises.
1. Has lack of adequate financing hindered national development in Aninri local government area?
2. Has Aninri local government council been able to effectively mobilize the rural people in terms of national development project?
3. How has corruption among Aninri local government personnel adversely affected national development projects in the area.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 
The essence of this project is to contribute to knowledge in bringing a general awareness of the people in relation to national development to the local government. One major task I wish t pursue is to help through this research study to present an impartial report of the performance of Aninri local government.
It is also hoped that recommendations of his report will assist government at all levels in implementation their development programmes.
More so, this project work will also e useful to the civil servants especially those at the administrative positions in formulating and implementing government policies and programmes. Political office holders will also find this document useful in tacking the challenges of policy implementation.
Furthermore, the result of this study would assist both the federal, state and local government in meeting the aspirations and needs of the people particularly in the rural area.
Finally, this study could be a basic on which further research may be carried out.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research is actually to ascertain the role of local government in national development in Nigeria. Thus, the researcher selected Aninri local government area he could conveniently cover.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 
The researcher however, encountered series of problems in the course of carrying out this study such problems include.
a. Data collection: many respondents could not feel free to express their opinion
b. Shortage of fund: lack of adequate fund for carrying out this research work also constitute problem
c. Time frame to go to the field, libraries and write the report and submit at the required time also constitutes problems to the researcher. In spite of all these problems or hindrances, the researcher did his best.

REFERENCES
Okoli, F.C (2000), Theory and Practice of Local Government: A Nigeria Perspective Enugu, John Jacob’s Classic Publishers Ltd.
Okolie, D.O. (2006), Local Government Administration in Nigeria: Concepts and Application, Enugu.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT