The paper, therefore, suggests a new focus in which the emphasis should be on the desirability or otherwise of substantial autonomy for. Pdf his paper undertook a historical overview of the development of the local government system in nigeria, especially from 1950. Obviously, compared to a state governor, it is easier to hold the local government chairperson to account. The current number of local government in nigeria is 774. Rather than a debate on local government autonomy, we should be asking whether we need states. Former president olusegun obasanjo has described state governments still opposing the local government autonomy bill already passed by the national assembly as enemies of the people at the grassroots. The 1976 local government conceptual analysis there are two basic concepts that are central to this research work. Local government autonomy and development of localities in.
Local government autonomy will benefit all nigerians nulge. Pdf local government autonomy and its effectiveness in nigeria. Local government and intergovernmental relations in nigerias. C where, is the method of dividing powers so that the central and regional governments are each, within a.
Local government administration in nigeria has been in existence since 1972 and its primary function is to bring government nearer to the people at the grassroots. The agitations surrounding the string of affairs in our local government system is beginning to take shape courtesy of the government of president muhammadu buhari. The nigeria union of local government employees nulge south west zone, said the approval of local government autonomy will help put an end to the security challenges in most of the rural. The term is used to contrast with offices at state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or where appropriate federal government and also to. A local government system in which local government is free to do what it wishes but has no possibility of doing anything important does not conform to. It started from the precolonial era 1945 of administration where the kings, chiefs and elders held sway over the governance of. What are the reasons for the creation of local government in nigeria. In all, there are 774 local governments in nigeria including the four area councils in abuja. According to wheare 1944 federal principle means the method of dividing powers so that general and. Pdf local government lg is an intermediary player between the federal authority and the grassroots in a given society. The local councils can hardly be developmental, just as they are practically tied to the apron strings of the state by the constitution. Using desk research and interview methods, the findings show that in both old and new federations. Nigeria is one of the few countries in africa that adopted a federal system of government, a.
However, all these reforms did not ensure a complete autonomy of local government system until the introduction of the 1976 local government reform under the military administration of. The intrigues of local government autonomy in nigeria. It also discusses the rationale for the creation of local governments, election into local government councils, local government autonomy, structural and institutional innovations in nigeria. Many reasons, ranging from the political to the socioeconomic. Appraisal of local government autonomy on service delivery at. The process of democratizing local government administration started as far back as 1954. Local government and fiscal autonomy for local government in. There is a near consensus of opinion among scholars of the nigerian local government system that local government autonomy has been negatively exploited by the state governments to the detriment. To investigate if nigeria local government system ofu local government is fully autonomous.
Africa publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. The nigeria union of local government employees nulge said only nine states have so far voted in support of local government autonomy in the ongoing effort to amend the constitution. Appraisal of local government autonomy on service delivery at the. This means that local government has legislative powers just like the federal and state governments. To ascertain if federalism guarantees local government autonomy. The study will also look at the reason why autonomy is not given to local government. The term local government autonomy connotes local self government or grass root democracy. The concept of local government represents a grassroots level of administration meant for meeting peculiar needs of the people at the local level. They are in fact political structures that have increasingly become sad and forceful reminders of the systematic. The three regional governments enacted the northern, western and eastern nigeria local government laws of 1954 respectively.
The 1976 local government reform in nigeria made local government as a third tier of government. Nigeria cannot be an exception to this global norm. So far the local government system in nigeria has not been stable and thus its future remains bleak, uncertain and insecure. The politics of local government in nigeria reloaded has been inspired by the 20 constitution amendment process initiated by the national assembly. The vexed issue of local government autonomy under nigerian federation.
Description nigerian federalism and local government autonomy 8 pages chapter one. It started from the precolonial era 1945 of administration where the kings, chiefs and elders held sway over the governance of their respective domains. C where, is the method of dividing powers so that the central and regional governments are each, within a sphere, coordinate and independent. Jan, 2017 to make the local government areas viable and functional within the federation called nigeria, i suggest that rather than continue to toy with the impracticable idea of autonomy, the constitution should be amended by the appropriate authorities to divest the state governments of the powers to conduct local government elections. Department of public administration ahmadu bello university, kongocampus, zaria kaduna state, nigeria. The performance of local government in service delivery made nigerian citizens to lose trust in local government as an institution established to respond to the masses needs agba et al. The local government service commission has been empowered to handle staff matters. Local government autonomy as an imperative for true. Why local governments should be given autonomy vanguard news. Panchayats and municipalities at grass root as such, in india, local government is the third stratum of the government, the first two being the central and state governments. At the theoretical level, it will add to the frontier of knowledge of nigerian federalism and local. Local government and intergovernmental relations in. In constitutional sense, democracy is the system of government, in the administration. These are local government and intergovernmental relations.
This is with a view to understanding the intricacies of the fundamental problem of local government autonomy in nigeria. The 1976 local government reform fixes the population of a local government not less than 150,000 and not more than 800, 000. The local government is the third tier of government. To explain if full autonomy is given to nigeria local government system ofu local government will enhance its service delivery. The state government sometimes delay payments to the local government areas and in most cases do not remit the complete 20. Local administration in nigeria has passed the four distinct stages of development. Postindependence era was followed with the importance of bringing the local government system to the limelight. An apparisal of the autonomy of local government as a. Many reasons, ranging from the political to the socioeconomic, have been given for the creation of local government. The study will give a clear insight on the federal principle and local government autonomy in nigeria. Olowu says local government should have some degree of. Pdf on may 31, 2018, ahmed wali doho and others published local. Former president olusegun obasanjo has described state governments still opposing the local government autonomy bill already passed by the national assembly as. It was created to bring government closer to the grassroots and give the people a sense of belonging.
The topical issue of local government lg autonomy in nigeria in. Appraisal of local government autonomy on service delivery at the grassroots in nigeria rasak salaam bachelor thesis politics international politics region. The politics of local government autonomy in nigeria reloaded felix akpan, phd okonette ekanem department of public administration, university of calabar, nigeria abstract the politics of local government in nigeria reloaded has been inspired by the 20 constitution amendment process initiated by the national assembly. Over the years, efforts have been geared towards democratizing the. Section 7 9 of 1997 constitution provides that legislative powers of local government shall be vested in the local government council. Introduction the existence of local government has always been defended on the basis that it is a crucial aspect of the process of democratization and intensification of mass participation in the decisionmaking process. Aug 22, 2017 the nigeria union of local government employees nulge has said the aim of the agitation for local government autonomy is to free the third tier of government from the control of state. I think that was a right move, otherwise nigerias wahala will multiply if the 774 local government councils are granted autonomy because they will take corruption to the next level, said.
In this paper we present a working definition of local government autonomy based on. Since the inception of the system of local government in nigeria, there had been. These include the abolition of the ministry of local government. Introduction since the inception of the system of local government in nigeria, there had been persistent clamour for the autonomy of the local government as the third tier of governance in the federation. Local government autonomy in nigeria essay 998 words. Local government autonomy in nigeria s polity the term local government autonomy is perceived as local self government or grassroots democracy. C wheare, is the method of dividing powers so that the central and regional governments are each, within a sphere, coordinate and independent. From the 1970s many countries in the region, starting with nigeria 1976, began. To make the local government areas viable and functional within the federation called nigeria, i suggest that rather than continue to toy with the impracticable idea of autonomy, the constitution should be amended by the appropriate authorities to divest the state governments of the powers to conduct local government elections. Using desk research and interview methods, the findings show that in both old and new federations the. Curiously, the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of nigeria, which accorded local governments a third tier status, also made provision for the state local government joint account system.
The 1976 local government reforms was the third in the series of the local government reforms ever contemplated in the history of nigeria local government. This grassroots democracy is concerned about giving the vast majority of the people the fullest opportunity to participate in determining their own destiny. The paper, therefore, suggests a new focus in which the emphasis should be on the desirability or otherwise of substantial autonomy for local governments in nigeria. Nigerian federalism and local government autonomy chapter one introduction 1. There are so many problems facing this tier which we shall discuss. Nigerian federalism and local government autonomy project. Proceeding from theoretical framework and conceptualizations for clearer understanding, the paper discusses some dominant autonomy issues. The study will focus on the ofu local government which the study will be benefited.
Brief history of local government in nigeria legit. Federal principle and local government autonomy in nigeria. It connotes local government management authority with the will of its own and freedom to develop policy direction and pursue its development plan free from dictation from outside. The quest or agitation for local government autonomy has been a recurring decimal in the evolution of the nigerian federation. The paper will also examine some of the inherent factors inhibiting local government autonomy in nigeria. Curiously, the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of nigeria, which accorded local governments a third tier status, also made provision for the statelocal government joint account system. In spite of this, the autonomy of local governments remains severely. Conceptualizing local government autonomy in nigeria.
Local government autonomy bill news latest breaking stories. An overview of local government autonomy and its functions in. Local government administration in nigeria has been in existence since 1972 and its primary function is to bring government nearer to. The scope and future of local government autonomy in nigeria. The main objective of the study is to intellectualize local government autonomy from a new perspective from the ones in extant literature. Local government autonomy can be considered within the context of the classical theory of federalism epitomised by wheare, which stresses a formal division of powers between levels of government. Local government and fiscal autonomy for local government. The relative roles of the three tiers of governmentthe federal. During babangida regime 19841992 there were certain measures aimed at ensuring local government autonomy. Local government autonomy news latest breaking stories and. The nigeria union of local government employees nulge has said the aim of the agitation for local government autonomy is to free the third tier of government from the control of state. A local government is a form of public administration which, in a majority of contexts, exists as the lowest tier of administration within a given state.
Politics and challenges of the 1999 constitution asaju, k. One of the arguments in favour of local governments is for the simple reason of accountability. There is thus, the need to grant local government areas full autonomy as well as increase its funding as it would help to enhance grass root participation in the development of nigeria. Pdf local government autonomy and its effectiveness in. A need for constitutional reform the basic irony between the u.
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