LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY AND GRASS-ROOT DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
(A CASE STUDY OF AWGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background for the study
The expediency for the creation of Local Government anywhere in the world stems from the need to facilitate development at the grassroots. According to Okolie and Eze (2004:19), the importance of Local Government is a function of its ability to generate sense of belongingness, safely and satisfaction among its population. All forms of government, regimes or political systems have so far ensured the attainment of this goals. Such strategy for ensuring national administrative development and political efficiency at the grassroot is found in the concept and practice of Local Government. Whatever is the mode of government; Local Government has been essentially regarded as the path to, and guarantor of national integration, administration and development (Okoli, 2000:101).
In Nigeria socio-political context, with multiplicity of culture, diversity of languages and differentiated needs and means, the importance of such an organization in fostering the needed national consciousness, rural development, unity and relative uniformity as well as preservation of peculiar diversities cannot be over-emphasized. According to Oyeleye (1996:42), central to the creation of Local Government, however, is its ability to facilitate grassroot development, an avenue through which government and the people intermix, relate and more quickly than any other means, resolve or dissolve issues that may have heated the system. Local Government could be defined as the government at the grassroot which is responsible for the administration of government programmes at the local level through their elected or selected local officials. According to Emezi (1984) in Asogwa, John (2011), local government is a system of administration in which local communities are organized to maintain law and order, provide some limited range of social amenities, and encourage cooperation and participation of the inhabitants towards the improvement of the condition of their living. Thus, in the 1976 local government reform, local government was recognized as the third tier of government in Nigeria which has the power to coordinate its affairs independent of the other higher level government.
As important as this tier of government has been, there seems to be some impediments that have been infringing on its performance and functions in recent times. These impediments according to Ofodu (2014), range from political but undue interference of the higher levels of government, especially the State Government.
In the constitution of federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, there was provision for the establishment of a state/ local government Joint account committee in each of the state. This is to ensure effective disbursement and channeling of funds from the Federation account, and to enable the state supervise the spending patter of the local government, but in reality, the state/ local government joint account exist as virtual drain pipes for the state governments. Nwatu, (2004, 60).
Since the inception of the system of local government, there had been frequent calls or agitations for the autonomy of local government as the third tier of government in Nigeria. It is pertinent to note that even the federal government has in recent times supported the course for local government autonomy. In the forward of the guidelines for the 1979 local government reform, it was clearly emphasized that the states has continued to encroach in what would have been the exclusive preserve of local governments. (Eme, O & Iwueke, 2013). With this reform, the local government was granted the power of grassroots governance with adequate improvement in the autonomy as the third tier of government in Nigeria. Also in the 1979 constitution section 7(1), it was stated that the system of democratically elected local government councils is under this constitution guaranteed.
Nwabueze (1983) as in Eme & Iwueke, (2013) sees local government autonomy to mean that each tier of government especially the local government should enjoy a separate existence and independence from the control of other governments , in other words, each level of government must exist not as an appendage of another government but as autonomous entity in the sense of being able to exercise its own powers in the conduct of its affairs free from external interference of another or higher level government like the state government.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The struggle for Local Government autonomy in Nigeria is as old as the history of Nigeria. In the words of Elekwa (1985:29); in Nwatu (2004)
It does appear that the ideal Local Government autonomy is still more of a myth than reality. The Local Governments in Nigeria could not practically said to be autonomous in their relationship with other tiers of governments….
Before the 1976 Local Government Reforms, Local Government remain under the effective control of regional (and later State) Governments. The strict control by regional governments was changed when the 1976 reforms established what Aliyi (1980:11), called a comprehensive standardization of a system of Local Government within a national framework. More so, local Government as the third tier of government as enshrine in the Nigerian constitution, successive civilian administration since 1979 have seriously ignore the autonomy rule. Ironically the military regimes appeared to be for better in terms of granting autonomy to the local governed (Abonyi 2006:67). According to J.O Udenta (2015), local government autonomy has remained a contentious issue in the Nigerian local government system as the quest for a complete local government autonomy in the Nigerian politics and governance has remained a mirage.
It could be recalled that the former Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Emeka Ihedioha upon his resumption in office as the executive governor Imo State, dissolved the 33 democratically elected council chairmen of the state who were elected into office under the administration of his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha. Also, in Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde had upon his inauguration in
May 2019, dissolved the local government councils, sacking the chairmen who were equally elected under the administration of his predecessor, late Mr Abiola Ajimobi thereby replacing the sacked council chairmen with caretaker committee to run the affairs of the councils. The count is endless, the various state governors at one point or the other had continued to control the affairs of the local government councils with no course to the principle of local government autonomy as enshrined in the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Premium Times, 2020). While arguments for, and against local government autonomy abound in Nigeria, many scholars and political analysts had argued that local government would breed endemic corruption, autocratic leadership style and wastage resources at the local government if not adequately monitored by the state or other tiers of government, other Proponents of local government autonomy believe that it would help the course of grassroots development by eliminating the negative influence and interference of the State Governors. They also argued that Local Government autonomy would guarantee the right of the council heads to govern and manage their natural resources using appropriate planning standards; opportunity to design appropriate policies, programmes and projects suited to peculiar areas; effective delivery of democratic dividends to the grassroots and public accountability (Nwatu, 2012:104). Irrespective of the argument above, the degree of fiscal and administrative dependence of Local Governments on state Governments is so high that the Local Councils’ Officials are mere servants of the state Governors of their respective States. In most cases, the local government council chairmen are only at the local level to implement the policies and programs designed at the state level with no recourse to the needs and various challenges of the rural dwellers. It is in this premises that the researcher wish to eevaluate the impact or effects of local government autonomy on grass-root development in Nigeria, using Awgu local government council as a case study.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objective of this study is to examine the effect of Local Government autonomy on grass root development in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to:
1) To examine the extent to which Local Government autonomy is crucial to grassroots development in Awgu local government area.
2) To investigate the factors militating against Local Government autonomy in Nigeria using Awgu local government as a case study.
3) To evaluate if lack of local government autonomy affects grassroot development in Nigeria using Awgu local government as a case study.
4) Finally, to proffer solutions on how to grand the autonomy of local governments in Nigeria for effective grass-root development using Awgu local government as a case study.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following questions were formulated to guide the study:-
1. What are the effect of lack of local government autonomy on grass-root development in Awgu local government area?
2. What extent does Local Government autonomy crucial to grass- root development in Awgu Local Government?
3. What are the factors militating against Local Government autonomy in Awgu local government?
4. What are the measures to make Local Government autonomy in Nigeria a reality than a myth for efficient grassroot development?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS.
1. Ho: Lack of local government autonomy does not have any effect on the grassroot development in Awgu local government.
2. Ho: Local government autonomy is not crucial to awgu local government council.
3. Ho: There are no factors militating against local government autonomy in Awgu local government council.
4. Ho: There are no solutions to the problem of lack of autonomy in Awgu local government council.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of the study simply means the contribution or the importance of the study to humanity, in the area of local government in Nigeria as well local Government administration. This research work is very significant as it helps to explain the concept/meaning of local government autonomy in Nigeria, its’ susceptibilities and the benefit of local government autonomy to the good people of Awgu local government and Nigerians at large as it engenders effective grass-root development/efficient social service delivery in Nigeria.
The study will help the Nigeria law makers and administrators to perceive Local Government autonomy as a veritable tool for grassroot development and efficient social services delivery at the local level. It will therefore, help them to see the need to end the unnecessary and undue State Government interference and control over Local Governments in Nigeria.
Furthermore, the research would serve as a vital material for higher levels of governments especially the State Governments that has continued to agitate against or block every efforts towards actualizing Local Governments autonomy Nigeria through their State Governors forum Meeting. Also to the federal government, the findings of the work would guide her in the quest for the implementation of local government autonomy in the Nigerian local government system.
Finally, the study will as well serve as a reference material for further researche(s) in the area as the research contained a well synthesized findings which has exposed new dimensions and current thoughts in the study and practice of Local Government and the imperative of local government autonomy on the grassroot development in Nigeria.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focused primarily on the effect of Local Government autonomy on grassroot development and/or efficient social services delivery at the grassroots in Nigeria, a case study of Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The study focused on the extent at which Local Government autonomy is crucial to efficient social services delivery at the grassroots in Nigeria. It also investigated the factors militating against Local Government autonomy in Nigeria. The study examined if the lack of Local Government autonomy in Nigeria is a direct consequence of lack of capacity amongst the people at the grassroots to engage the system for transparency and accountability and as well proffered remedies on how to enthrone local government autonomy in Nigeria.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study, like every other human academics quest is faced with constraints which to a large extent limits the geographical coverage of the study.
One of the major factors which adversely affected the research work was the attitude of the respondents. As a result of the official secrecy, the Awgu local government staff find it very difficult to supply the researcher with the vital information needed for the work. Also some other persons felt reluctant to fill and submit the forms given to them as they never returned forms given them.
Another problem that hindered the process of this study was the scarcity of relevant materials and the signs of disappointment showed by the people of Awgu Local Government in supplying the researcher other available materials at their disposals which is evident in the level of hardships faced by the staff as a result of poor and irregular payment of salaries of local government employees which has been attributed to lack of local government autonomy in Nigeria and in Awgu LGA in particular.
Insecurity and/or the various security threats across the country currently was also another barrier to effective execution of this research work as the researcher could not move freely to Awgu LGA and other local governments in Nigeria due to security challenge ravaging the country today. Also the covid-19 outbreak also hindered the researcher in the process of carrying out the research work as movement was highly restricted during the period of the corona virus pandemic. Thus, access to people and offices has been drastically restricted as a result of the corona virus outbreak and it immensely limited the researcher in carrying out the research.
Notwithstanding these problems, the study still recorded a huge success as the efforts of the researcher yielded a reasonable and rewarding project.
1.9. DEFINITION OF TERMS AND ACROYMS
Some major concepts and terms used in this study were defined in accordance in their usage in the work as shown below.
• Autonomy: Autonomy can simply be as the process of being free, independent or the right or freedom of a body or an entity to set the parameters of its operations.
• Local Government: This is broadly defined here as a third tier of government. It is the government at the local level, it could be seen as a government at the grass-root level in Nigeria.
• Development: It could be define as an improvement in a particular thing. It also means to increase in size and to make something more mature, large, etc. Development means the overall improvement in the economic and socio-cultural welfare of the people over a long period of time.
• Local Government Autonomy: This mean the right of a local a Government to set the parameters of its operations. It refers also as the right of a Local Government to exist independently of other levels.
• Social Services: Social services here covers all the essential goods and services needed by the citizens of a country which can hardly be effectively and efficiently provided to the people when left in the hands of private investors, example include: roads, national security, public parks portable drinking water, etc.
• Democracy: This simply means popular or majority rule. It is a system of government that encourages popular participation of the people in the act of governance.
• Inter-Governmental Relations: IGR here simply means an interactions that take place among the different levels of government within a country. The concept is usually associated with states having federal system of government where the relationships between the Central Government and the major component units are formally spelt out in the constitution.
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Imo boils as ihedioha suspended LG chairmen in Imo State: (Vanguard News, 2020).