THE IMPACT OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA A CASE STUDY OF NSIT IBOM LGA OF AKWA IBOM STATE
ABSTRACT
Inter-governmental relations and it effects on local government administration in Nigeria has remained a worrisome issue. It is an issue that deals with the governmental arrangement as well as this finance to sustain the polity. The paper therefore examines the nature of inter-governmental relationship on local government administration in Nigeria. The focus on inter-governmental relations is necessitated by the fact that revenue allocation is an integral aspect of inter-governmental relationship in all federation. It is a conflict generating issues, the management of which is very crucial to the survival and growth of local government in Nigeria. This paper argues that there is need for local government financial autonomy for it to perform effectively, and for it to maintain it status as tier of government in Nigeria. It concludes that there is an urgent need to address revenue allocation and tax jurisdiction of the local governments in Nigeria to make it a formidable tool for service delivery at the grassroot levels.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGETitle Page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 3
1.3 Research Questions – – – – – – – 4
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.5 Objectives of the Study – – – – – – 5
1.6 Scope of the Study – – – – – – – 5
1.7 Limitations of the Study – – – – – – 6
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms/Concepts – – – – 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Definition of Inter-governmental Relations – – 8
2.2 Theoretical Framework of the Study – – – – – 11
2.3 Administrative Mechanism for Managing Inter-Governmental
Relations – – – – – – – – 11
2.4 Inter-Governmental Fiscal Relations – – – – – 12
2.5 Inter-Governmental Relations in Nigeria – – – – 15
2.6 The Impact of Intergovernmental Relations on
Local Government Administration in Nigeria – – – 18
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.0 Research Design and Methodology – – – – – 21
3.1 Research Method and Design – – – – – – 21
3.2 Sources of Data – – – – – – – 21
3.2.1 Secondary Source of Data – – – – – – 21
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3.2.2 Secondary Source of Data – – – – – – 22
3.3 Location of Study – – – – – – – 22
3.4 Population of Study – – – – – – – 22
3.5 Sample Size – – – – – – – – 23
3.5.1 Sampling Technique – – – – – – – 24
3.6 Instrumentation – – – – – – – 25
3.7 Validity of the Instrument – – – – – – 25
3.8 Reliability of the Instrument – – – – – – 26
3.9 Data Collection – – – – – – – 27
3.10 Instrument Return Rate (IRR) – – – – – 27
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
4.0 Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data – – – 29
4.1 Analysis of Data – – – – – – – 29
4.2 Interpretation of Data – – – – – – – 32
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS
AND CONCLUSION
5.0 Summary of Findings, Recommendations and Conclusion – – 35
5.1 Findings – – – – – – – – 35
5.2 Recommendations – – – – – – – 36
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 37
Bibliography
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background and of the Study
The concept of Inter-governmental relations is associated with States and Local Government areas having a Federal Administration system where the relationship between the Federal, Central or National governmental and major sub-national unit are formally spelt out in the constitution. Intergovernmental relations have been seen as a system of transactions among structured levels of government in a state. It is also seen as registration in which the parties are negotiating advantageous positions for power, money and problems-solving responsibility (Olugbeni: 1980).
The goals of Inter-governmental relations on local government administration are to promote peace and harmony among the three tiers of government, which are the Federal, state and local government. In so doing, inter-governmental relations will help to minimize inter-jurisdictional conflicts among the various levels of government. Also to boost greater national economic integration through the activities of the three levels of government. To enhance the emergence of co-operative rather than competitive Federation there is also need to enhance effective and efficient utilization of available human and material resources among the three levels of government. To help solve the problem of rural and urban poverty. To achieve a situation where there is special need for integrating programmers on a nationwide scale. To look into the situation where states, local government on unit of the federal set up have responsibilities with no resources base to perform them (John Nwafor: 1998).
The achievement of the objectives of inter-governmental relations is dependent on some social factors within the Nigeria social system. Some social factors include the political setting and the state of the economy in the nation. Looking at the political setting, the inter-governmental relations are basically based on the three tiers of Government that is the Federal, State and Local Government. But come to look at that, the Federal and State Government is said to have more autonomy than the local government due to the facts that they are the last tier of government. That is why local government is not given its full autonomy to do things on its own. The other tiers of the government still tell them what to do, how to make their own policies, how to elect/appoint those to rule them like the Chancellors or Chairmen and so on. Local Government is still dependent on the other tires of Government making them to be subordinate and loyal (Ralph Nwokedi: 2002).
Due to the fact that States and Local Governments are still dependent of the other tie of Government which is the Federal Government, they should be greater independence of these tiers of Government so as to promote their strength of survival and equally support them to execute their fundamental responsibilities to its masses.
Another problem is the State of the nation’s economy. The nation’s economy really influenced the nature and scope of intergovernmental relations in Local Government administration in Nigeria. The wealth of any nation is a key factor in determining its pattern of material relation. Between 1960 and 1970, the basis of fiscal relations between the federal, state and Local Government were richer and more powerful than the Local Government. But these problems will come to an end if the Local Government has greater control of the tax revenue. The Local Government control 50% of the tax revenue allocation of its area without the Federal or State Government interference. They should also receive grants and aids from outside and within the country, making them powerful and independent of their own. Their Federation Allocation Account should be granted to them annually or monthly as the case may be. They should be all allowed to run their affairs especially when it comes to monetary matters (Okoli Felix and Osagi Onah 2002)
In so doing, channel of communication should be at its high level between the Federal, State and Local Government in order to produce an effective result. This is because without one another there would not be effectiveness due to the fact that an inter-governmental relation is relationship between the three tiers of Government.
THE IMPACT OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA A CASE STUDY OF NSIT IBOM LGA OF AKWA IBOM STATE
