LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL AUTONOMY IN NIGERIA: A MYTH OR REALITY

Professor Basil Chukwuemeka Nwankwo (PhD), David C. Nwogbo (PhD), Amos Abu Atuluku (PhD), Kingsley Uchenna Mbamalu, Barnabas Rosemary Nneoma (PhD)

Abstract


This study critically interrogated the financial autonomy given to local government in Nigeria both in the past and in the present Administration of President Mohammadu Buhari, GCFR. The main objective of the study is to examine and ascertain whether the financial autonomy granted to the local government council is a “Myth” or “reality’’ the study relied heavily on secondary data from in-depth desk review of books, journals, magazines, government documents, internet publications, newspapers etc. also, the study made use of primary data from personal interactions and interviews of some key stakeholders in the local government service such as the chairman, Head of Service (HOS), Head of Personnel Management (HPM), treasurer and supervisory councilors. The major findings of the study reveals that autonomy to local government in Nigeria whether administrative or financial in nature is a “Myth”, a “mirage”, a “shifting sand” and not actualizable in “practice and reality”. The reason is because the Governors, through the instrumentalities of the state government have devised means and strategies to enforce all kinds of administrative, Judicial, Legislative and financial controls over the local government councils in their domain. Consequently, based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that for the local government councils in Nigeria to become vehicle for efficient and effective services delivery at the grassroots and rural areas; there should be constitutional amendment as is the case in all the federal system of government in the world today, for local governments in Nigeria to be the creation of the state government and sub-ordinate to them. This is necessary to make the local government accountable to the state government who will have the sole authority to organize structure, monitor and manage the councils to become result-oriented and efficient in services delivery as envisioned by the founding fathers and the 1976 Local Government Reforms.

Keywords


Local Government, Financial Autonomy, Myth, Reality, Nigeria

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adamolekun, L (1979). The New Local Government System in Nigeria: Problems and prospects for implementation, Ibadan-Nigeria. Heinemann Education Books.

Akpan, N.U. (1974) “Background to Local Government Administration in the Three Eastern states of Nigeria” in Local Government Administration Vol.3. N0. 2

Awa, E.O.(1980) The Theory of Local Government, paper presented at the National Conference on the New Local Government System in Nigeria organized by the Department of Political Science University of Nigeria, Nsukka 25th-27th June.

Chabal, P (1986) Political Domination in African: Reflections on the limits of power, Cambridge University Press.

Egonmwan, J.A. and Ibodje, S.W. (1999) Reinventing Local Government in Nigeria from Hierarchy to Participation. Benin City: Resign

Generation, strategies, problems and prospects for local Government officials (UNN catchment Area) organized by department of public Administration and local Government in association with first data search limited at Nsukka on 29th-30th June.

Guidelines for Local Government Reforms: FGN, States and Local Government Affairs, the Presidency Abuja, Nigeria.

Idike, A (1995) Constitutional and Legal Basis of Local Government Administration in Nigeria in M.Ikejiani-Clark and F.C Okoli (eds.) Local Government Administration in Nigeria: Current Problems and Future Challenges, Lagos Mangrove publication.

Ikejiani-Clark, M (1995) “The Pathologies of Local Government Administration: Corruption/Fraud” in M. Ikejiani-Clark and F.C. Okoli (eds.) Local Government Administration in Nigeria: Current Problems and future challenges, Lagos Mangorve publication.

Ikejiani-Clark, M and Okoli, F.C. (1995) Local Government Administration in Nigeria: Current Problems and future Challenges, Lagos- Nigeria, Mangrove Publication.

Massoud, O (2001) Challenges of Local Government as a third tier of Government under the sole Administration caretaker Committee System. Paper Presented at the National Orientation Workshop for newly appointed caretaker committee members organized by the States and Local Government Affairs Office, The Presidency, Abuja.

Nwankwo, B.C (2006) issues in local Government Administration in Nigeria, Enugu: Nsukka Great AP Express publishers.

Nwankwo, B.C. (1995) Internal Revenue Leakages: Prevention and Detection in E.C. Emezi and F.C. Okoli (eds.) proceedings of the National Seminar/Workshop on internal Revenue.

Nwankwo, B.C. (1995) pathologies of local Government Administration: party politics in M.Ikejiani-clark and F.C. Okoli (eds.) local Government administration in Nigeria: current problems and future challenges, Lagos mangrove publications.

Nwankwo, B.C. (1999) Politics of Local Government Budgeting: Financial Manipulation in the Local Government; International Journal of Studies in the Humanities (1 JOSH) Vol. 1 & 2, No. 2.

Nwankwo, B.C. (2003) The State of Public Accountability in the Local Government System in Nigeria, in E. O Ezeani (ed.) Public Accountability in Nigeria. Perspectives and Issues, Enugu, Academic Publishing Company.

Nwobodo, J.I (1980) local Government in a federal system: the Nigerian Experience an Inaugural address delivered at the national conference on the new local Government system in Nigeria held at the Nsukka campus of the University of Nigeria, 25th-27th June

Nwosu, H.N(1977) political Authority and the Nigerian civil service, Enugu fourth Dimension publishers

Obi, M.A (1996) practical limitations to accountability in the Nigerian local government under presidentialism. A survey of some local government within the educational catchment area of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Journal of public Administration and local government Vol.7 N0.2

Odenigwe, G.A 9ed) (1975) the new system of local Government administration in east central state, Enugu: Nwamife press

Okoli, F.C. (1995) future challenges to local government in Nigeria in m. Ikejiani-clark and F.C. Okoli(ed) Local government administration in Nigerian: current problem and future challenges, Lagos mangrove publication.

Olusegun Obasanjo (2003) inaugural Address Delivered at the constitution of the Technical in Nigeria held at Abuja.

Oshisam, K (1992) public Accountability under the civil service reforms of 1988. In AliD.Yahaya and Calab. I. Akinyele (eds) effective leadership proceedings of the ministerial workshops on the Nigerian civil service reforms (1988), Lagos ASCON

Oyelakin, O. (1999) local government under the 21999 constitution paper delivered at the national orientation workshop for elected chairman and councilors, organized by the states and local government Affairs office, the presidency, Abuja.

Oyewo, A.T (1980) the legal status of local Government, paper presented at the National conference on the new local Government system in Nigeria, organized by the department of political science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 25th-27th June.

Salisu, A (2004) local Government reforms and challenges to key functionaries in Nigeria. Paper presented at the retreat on capacity building for key functionaries responsible for local Government Affairs in Nigeria, held at ASCON Badagry Lagos.

The 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Federal Government Printer, ABjua.

The 1989 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Federal Government Printer, ABjua.

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Federal Government Printer, Abuja.

Wraith, R. (1972) Local Administration in West African, London. George Allen & Unwin.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2021 Professor Basil Chukwuemeka Nwankwo (PhD), David C. Nwogbo (PhD), Amos Abu Atuluku (PhD), Kingsley Uchenna Mbamalu, Barnabas Rosemary Nneoma (PhD)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISSN (PRINT):    2682 - 6135

ISSN (ONLINE): 2682 - 6127

 

 

   

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.