Introduction
It is understood that the only equitable form of development is the development that comes from within, development that originates through the will and wishes of the people. The concept behind the establishment of Local Government in Nigeria is that people at the grassroots level are expected to have the fullest awareness of their needs. Every local authority has its distinctive economic, social and physical features and its historical institution which are well understood by its people. Thus, the Local Government Councils are established to deliver the services which the Federal and State Governments cannot easily delivered due to their remoteness from the rural communities (Abutudu, 2011).
The Nigerian Government operates a federal system of government that consists of three tiers – the federal, state and local governments. Each of these provinces has constitutionally assigned tasks to execute. Though it is widely accepted that no government in the center can suitably conducts administration exclusively from the capital through public workers, working at the head office. Thus, the need for a kind of decentralization which will enable the government to reach out to the people at the grassroots level becomes vital (Orewa, 1983; 96).
The third tier of the government which is the focus is the nearest government to the populace at the grassroots levels in Nigeria. The local government is to be seen as a tool for nation building and national unity. It is expected to bring the effect of the Centre to the grassroots. It has been postulated that over 72% of the Nigerian population live in the Local Government regions. As a result it has the obligation to articulate the needs of these people and design plans and strategies to achieving them.
The Problem
The ratio of development between the urban centers and the rural areas in Nigeria is irregularly unequal and very unacceptable for viable development of this country. The lopsided development policy has produced many unnecessary problems some of which are great rural-urban migration which transmit into overcrowding and heating up the lives in the metropolis, social infrastructural decline at the rural environs due to great abandonment , mass poverty in the nation due to lack of appropriate harmonization of the country’s resources.
The concern at the moment is to examine how much impact the local governments have had on their residents in relation to their expectations back to the community. No reservation, with the substantial increase in revenue allocation to the third tier governments for quite some time nowadays, some of them have been able to embark on major projects in several scopes with progressive effect on public infrastructure, industries, health, agriculture. Nevertheless, gathered evidence still proves that our local governments are still under performing. Rather, they have been condemned for poor performance in area of scope, gravity and value services expected of their functions, predominantly in the area of medical and health services provision, water supply, provision of basic infrastructure, etc. as listed in the Nigerian Constitution (1999). To say the least, some of the basic functions are not executed at all.
The expenditure of most local government is not only branded by waste but massive corruption. Though corruption is described as a cankerworm living in every aspect of our society, it is infact irritating at the local government level. Greatest number of people believes that public funds are just distributed among government officials, cabals, and their political mentors. This may possibly look overstated. However what is certain is that corruption is so entrenched at the local level which is apparent to the public that no development to justify the huge allocation accrued to them. Accordingly, the survey carried out in 1987 published by the Political Bureau Report still valid that in spite of the significance importance of local government to national growth process, its impact has been marginal.
Social Economic Development and Local Government
Globally, local government is widely recognized as a viable mechanism for rural development and for active delivery of social economic facilities to the people. In 2008, Obatan submitted that the third tier government in Nigeria is a well acknowledged grassroots government which is expected to be nearer to the people, both in the suburbs, villages and towns, and to impact on the day by day life of the rural dwellers. The author further argued that local government is anticipated to be actively involved in national building. The establishment of local government is for three main reasons which are; nearness to the people, better responsiveness to the needs of the grassroots populace and ease of operation, in that their composition is not complex.
Infact local government in Nigeria has existed in different forms ever since the creation of the country. In the North, powers, functions and authorities was centered on the Emirs while in the Western parts the Oba was in charge, though had legal advisers are not autocratic as that of the Emir in the North (Ugoh, 2009:3). In the Ibo land, it was a decentralized and democratic form of government because decision making authorities were vested in number of bodies like elders, village council, age grades etc. Several reforms have been undertaking but the prominent among them was the 1976 reforms which accord a respectable status to local government administration in Nigeria. The major reason for the reform was to make the third tier arm of the government perform its economic developments responsibilities better. As at today the local governments share in the Federation Account sharing formula is 20%.
The functions of the Local Government Council according to the 1979 constitution are categorized into four groupings which are; 1. Regulatory and Licensing functions (registration of birth, death and marriage issues, control and regulation of shops, kiosks, and eateries).2. Social service functions (delivery of health facilities, vocational and adult education, refuse disposal and road construction. 3. Security functions like upkeep of parks and gardens etc, and 4. Economic functions (establishment of market stalls, capitalizing business ventures, agriculture and formulation of commercial planning development system for the authority.
Base on the above, it is expected that local government should be a proper third tier of government, therefore be regarded as ‘development-oriented’ grassroots councils. A viable local government is expected to be an avenue for the delivery of goods and services which are essentials for sustainable development. As a result of the above, a grassroots government should be able to provide services and amenities for the residents in a way that will be accessible to all. Still, there has been an unequal development plan which has produced many preventable problems. These problems are infrastructural decline at the grassroots areas due to total abandonment and enormous poverty in the nation due to lack of suitable harmonization of the country’s resources.
Olanrewaju Usman
