LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

SS 2 GOVERNMENT
3rd Term
6th Week

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA
Structure: Local governments are the third tier of government. They look after local community areas. They are also known as councils. The council members are elected by the local residents. Each local government area is administered by a Local Government Council consisting of a chairman who is the Chief Executive of the LGA, and other elected members who are referred to as Councillors. Each of the areas is further subdivided into wards with a minimum of ten and a maximum of fifteen for each area.
Functions of local government
·         Economic recommendations to the State;
·         Collection of taxes and fees;
·         Establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute or infirm;
·         Licensing of bicycles, trucks (other than mechanically propelled trucks), canoes, wheel barrows and carts;
·         Establishment, maintenance and regulation of markets, motor parks and public conveniences;
·         Construction and maintenance of roads, streets, drains and other public highways, parks, and open spaces;
·         Naming of roads and streets and numbering of houses;
·         Provision and maintenance of public transportation and refuse disposal;
·         Registration of births, deaths and marriages;
·         Assessment of privately owned houses or tenements for the purpose of levying such rates as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of a State; and,
·         Control and regulation of out-door advertising, movement and keeping of pets of all descriptions, shops and kiosks, restaurants and other places for sale of food to the public, and laundries.

Sources of finance
1.       Transfer from federal government
2.       From state government
3.       License
4.       Taxes
5.       Fines
6.       Rents and rates
7.       Revenue from LGA owned ventures
Problems of local government
(1.) Shortage of trained personnel
(2.) insufficient fund
(3.) interference by state and federal government
(4.) bribery and corruption
(5.) strife between the different parties at local and state levels
(6.) Low incentive to local government workers
(7.) Tribalism in terms of appointment, promotion and discipline.

1976 local government reforms in Nigeria
The Local Government Reform 1976 was a nationwide undertaking by the military government as part of its intention to return power to civilians, sort of a precursor to active comprehensive political action, it was also designed to spread government programmes to the grassroots and to institutionalize the local government system in Nigeria. The reform resulted in the creation of 301 local governments across the country of varying populations between 150,000- 800,000.
Prior to the 1976 reform, the local government system in the country was less autonomous with the colonial era Native Authorities serving as an avenue of policy implementation directed from Lagos. Towards independence, a system of elected councils was created but after independence the power of the system was minimal.

Roles of traditional rulers in government
·        They chair meetings of council of elders of the community
·        They give advice to local government officials for development of their locality
·        They make sure that law and order prevail in the community
·        They are the custodians of culture of their domains
·        They use traditional religious beliefs to punish bad behavior and encourage goodness
·        They supervise chieftaincy matters and confer titles to deserving citizens
·        They settle land and marriage disputes and award damages
·        They assist local government to sensitize the people to pay tax
·        They encourage their subjects to gain financial freedom
·        They educate the populace to perform their civic duties
·        They get support of subjects for local council chairmen
·        They support good governance by the three tiers of government

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