THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (A case study of Local Government council in Lagos State)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The local government is the grassroots government in the Nigerian Federal System of Government. It is empowered by the constitution and rooted in the laws of the land. Section 7(1) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria backs the operations of the third tier government. More so, the constitution permits democratically elected representatives of the people to man the local government affairs. According to Okoli (2005) the third tier government came into being as a result of the quest for wide spread development in the country. It is important to note that grassroots welfare and national development can be achieved through the third tier government. It is against this background, the researcher evaluates the roles of local government in national development.
Despite the spirited protestations of Nigeria’s officialdom, it is yet to be empirically settled that national development has been on the ascendancy in the Nigerian State. On the other hand, evidence abounds that local government in Nigeria is a neglected paradigm of national developmental mobilization (Abada, 2012; Idike, 2013; Eze and Muanya, 2013; Uzuegbunam and Nwofia, 2014). The Nigerian condition has accordingly been depicted as a situation of affluence and affliction (Ibeanu, 2008), which signifies an apparent contradiction. Kuka (2012) further describes the Nigerian nation as being on autopilot.
Constitutionally, Local government represents the third tier of governmental organization in Nigeria and the others being the Federal and State governments. Frequently, the term “Grassroots administration” is employed when describing local government as this has the additional advantage of graphically describing the location of this governmental arrangement (Idike, 2013). In reality, it is not vested with the powers and resources that it deserves. It is also ironical that the Nigerian situation negates the essence of federalism (which is decentralization) by being highly centralized. Elsewhere, where the ideals and strategies for effective national development have been understood the correct way, Local government is the focus of government efforts at promoting national development. It becomes obvious overtime that to effectively develop, the people must be adequately mobilized (Okoli, 2005). A purposeful combination of the local (peoples) effort/energies with that of government with the objective of improving socio-economic conditions and encouraging political participation is a key factor in national development. According to Eze and Muanya (2013) stated that It also represents the objective expression of the energies of mobilized rural communities in concrete and tangible projects such as roads, clinics, schools, potable water and other communal initiatives that benefit the people. This study is specifically focusing of Local Government Councils in Lagos State.
Lagos, sometimes referred to as Lagos State to distinguish it from Lagos Metropolitan Area, is a state located in the southwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The smallest in area of Nigeria’s 36 states, Lagos State is arguably the most economically important state of the country, containing Lagos, the nation’s largest urban area. There are 20 Local Government areas in Lagos State namely Alimosho, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Kosofe, Mushin, Oshodi-Isolo, Ojo, Ikorodu, Surulere, Agege, Ifako-Ijaye, Shomolu, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos Mainland, Ikeja, Eti-osa, Badagry, Apapa, Lagos Island, Epe and IjebuLekki.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The interrelationship or complementary nature of these two subjects (Local government and national development) underscore their relevance and need for this research. As Institutions of critical importance, they are respectively the basic political organization, and the socio-economic activity. In view of the critical importance therefore, what affects them determine whether or not Nigeria or other third world nations develop. The performance of the Local Government in Nigeria has triggered the curiosity of the research considering the constitutional duties of Local Government and their overall contribution to the national development in terms of service delivery to the members of the local communities. However, the researcher is examining the role of Local Government Councils in Lagos State in National Development.
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THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (A case study of Local Government council in Lagos State)
