ABSTRACT
The Nigeria state operates a federal system of
government, which has three tiers of government namely, federal, state, and
local government. There are constitutional provision which stipulated the
responsibility and function of these tiers of government that should enable
them promote development and efficacy of local administration. However recent
happenings seem to indicate a lot of conflicts in relationship between and
among these three tiers of government. This study seems to examine the extent
of relationship and its implication on local government administration. The
method of investigation adopted in this research include personal interviews of
few relevant person, consultation and information drawn from event and
happenings as observed by the researcher, the research also reviewed some
existing literature on the subject. A major observation in this research is
that the poor relationship between and among the three tiers of government has
had a negative impact on the development of local government administration in
Nigeria. Another finding shows that this same poor relations has not promote
the cause of democracy in Nigeria. In view to demystify its causes and proffer
solution.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………...............i
CERTIFICATION……………………………………………………………………….ii
DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………..iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT………………………………………………………………………..…iv
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………………v
TABLE OF
CONTENT………………………………………………………………………………vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………….........1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE
STUDY……………………………………………………………1
1.2 STATEMENT OF
PROBLEM………………………………………………………………….4
1.3 AIM
AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY………………………………………….………..5
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY…………………………………………………………….6
1.5 SCOPE
AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY……………………………………………..7
1.6 DEFINITION
OF TERMS ……………………………………………………………………..8
1.7 ORGANIZATION
OF WORK ……………………………………………………………….10
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………….11
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 LITERATURE
REVIEW……………………………………………………………………12
2.2 MEANING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT…………………………………………….20
2.2.1 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK………………………………….…………………...26
2.3 HISTORY OF MOPAMURO LOCAL GOVERNMENT………………………….30
REFEREENCES……………………………………………………………………..33
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 RESEARCH
METHODS…………………………………………………………………………..35
3.2 RESEARCH
DESIGN……………………………………………………………………………….36
3.3 POPULATION OF THE
STUDY………………………………………………………………..36
3.4 SAMPLE
FRAME……………………………………………………………………………………37
3.5 SAMPLING TECHNIGUES………………………………………………………………………37
3.6 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………39
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………40
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 DATA PRESENTATIO AND ANALYSIS…………………………………………………….41
4.1 DATA
PRESENTATION…………………………………………………………………………..41
4.2 DATA
ANALYSIS…………………………………………………………………………………..46
4.3 FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT…………………………………………………..49
4.4 STATE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT …………….52
REFERENCES
…………………………………………………………………………………………...57
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1
SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………………….58
5.2
RECOMMENDATION………………………………………………………………………………59
5.3
CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………………..60
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………..62
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The concept of inter-governmental
relations have become so important in the operations of government in Nigeria,
they are so important that they have become institutionalized in government
operation. Intergovernmental relations have been seen as a system of
transaction among structured levels of government.
Experience has shown that government
objective in a country with a federal system of government can achieve better
relationship among the various levels of government (federal, state, local
government) than under condition where no such relationship exist.
Inter-governmental relations offer more opportunity, and thus, permit the three
tiers of government to complement the effort of one another in the running
affairs of the Nigerian government.
Federalism under military regime tends
to impose a centralized control over the state and local government and thus
distorts inter-governmental relations.
A
notable feature 0f federalism is the devolution and division of power
and responsibility among the levels of government, theoretically forbids any
levels of government from usurping the power of others, yet it provides wide
arena for cooperation and opportunity for expanding joint actions. It therefore
follows that the maintenance of effective intergovernmental relations and
cooperation is of important for the function of the federal system of
government, not only in Nigeria but in any part of the world such as Canada,
USA, and Germany and Australia etc.
The goals of inter-governmental
relations are said to be to promote peace and harmony among the three tiers of
government, to accelerate the self-reliant economy. In so doing,
inter-governmental relations will help to minimized inter-jurisdictional
conflict among the various levels of government. Also to boost, natural and
socio-economic integrations through the activities of the three levels of
government. Again to enhance the
emergence of cooperative rather than competitive federation, there is also need
to enhance effective and efficient utilization of human and material resources
among the three levels of government, to help solve the problem of rural urban
poverty, to look into the situation where state, local government or unit of
the federal set up, have a responsibility with no resources base to perform
them.(John Nwafor : unpublished work)
Therefore, inter-governmental relations can
be vertical or horizontal. Vertical relations take place when the central
government interacts with the state or when the state interacts with the
localities. Horizontal relations take place when government at the same level
in the political structure interacts. For example, inter- state or inter
localities interactions. Consequently, there are at least two levels of
intergovernmental relations in a unitary state. These are National-Local
relations and inter-local relations. By the same token, there are six levels of
intergovernmental relations in a federation like Nigeria. These are
National-State-Local relations, National- State relations, National-Local
relation, inter –state relations, State-Local relations, and inter-Local
relations. Presently, in Nigeria it is possible to delineate these six levels
of intergovernmental relations.
To this, there should be greater independence
of the state and local government in the federal government for their survival
and performance of fundamental responsibilities. There should also be several reforms that will recognized the local government as the third tires of
government with relative autonomy and
jurisdictional powers as provided for, in the constitutions.
Another problem is the state of the
nation’s economy. The nation’s economy really influences the nature and scope
of intergovernmental relations in the local government in Nigeria. The wealth
of any nation is a key factor 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 this problem will come to an end if the local government has greater
control of the tax revenue.
The local government should control 50% of
the tax revenue allocation of their area without the Federal or State
interference. They should also receive grants and aids from outside and within
the country, making them powerful and independent of their own.
Their Federal allocation account should be
granted to them annually or monthly
as the case
may be. They should be allowed to run their affairs especially when it comes to
monetary matters. ( Okoli and Onah,2002).
In so doing, channel of communication
should be at his high level between the Federal, State and local government in
order to produce an effective result which intergovernmental relations is
designed to achieve within the federal structure.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
This research is aim at examining
the problems of inter-governmental relations and its implications on local
government in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the issues of sharing resources among the three levels of
government have remained controversial, due to lack of acceptable formular.
This has resulted in setting up of different committee or commissions to
prescribe the formula to be used. Also there exists a conflict between the
Federal, State and local government over acceptable formula for sharing
revenue. For instance, the conflict is
usually whether the principle of derivation, need, national interest or land
mass should be used as a basis for the purpose. Even when these principles may
be generally accepted as the main basis for working out revenue allocation
formula, conflict might arise following as to which of the principle takes
precedence over others as the main criteria for sharing the revenue. Against
this background the following research question were raised.
i.
What are the reasons for inter-governmental
relations conflict in Nigeria?
ii.
To what extent
has this conflict affect the operation of inter-governmental relation?
iii.
What is the
level of autonomy granted to the local government?
iv.
How can the
Nigerian consolidate inter-governmental relations among levels of government?
v.
How does an
inter-governmental relation promote people’s participation in government?
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study is set out to examine the
impact of intergovernmental relations on local government administration in
Nigeria with particular reference to state-local government relations. It will
attempt to look at how far, the state government involvement in local
government policy making affect the political, financial and social
relationship which exist between state and local government in Nigeria.
In general term, the study seeks to
understand the nature, dynamics and consequences of inter-governmental
relations in Nigeria. In specific term, the objectives are:
(i)
To examine the
causes of inter-governmental relations in Nigeria
(ii)
To know the
inefficiencies cause by the bad relationship between the levels of government.
(iii)
To ascertain
the level of autonomy or control exercise by federal/state over the operations
of the local government.
(iv)
To expose the
danger or effect of external control or interference in the operation of one
government over another.
(v)
To facilitate
and promote political participation through political communication via the
local government.
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great
benefit by gaining in-depth knowledge of state-local relations in Nigeria. This
is because it will be exposed to the challenges it is facing in
inter-governmental relations.
It would also be of great significance
to researchers by way of making them aware of problems that have been uncovered
by these researchers, so that they would know where to start from in their
subsequent research work in the area of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria.
It would also be useful to
university students like kogi state university when doing a likely research.
The study would also be a likely literature to be referred to by the policy
makers and policy implementers, as they will make use of the findings and recommendation
of this research exercise. And it is believed that this study will open an
avenue for further research.
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE
STUDY
This study is set to examine the impact
of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria but due to its broad nature and the
need for clarity of analysis, this study has been narrowed down to Kogi state,
particularly (mopamuro Local government). On the other hand, this study is also
limited due to lack of time, finance, transport and other logistical constrains
that might have aided this study on globalization.
Choosing the right local government for
case study, it was not easy to get the right local government that could give
out accurate and detail information needed by the researcher.
1.6 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERM
In the course of this research work,
some concepts were used and for easy and comprehensive understanding of the
entire work, these concepts shall be explained.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
This is the third tier of government
within the state and it is also a government established at the local level
through the Act of parliament to deal with specific matters as it affects the
local people.
Local government can also be termed to
mean the breakdown of a country into small units or localities for the purpose
of administration. It serves the dual mandate of being the foundation which the
state and the federal government touch the lives of the people intimately.
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
This is not only the first but the
mega-government which exercise exclusive powers and it’s superior to both the
state and local governments.
GOVERNMENT
This is the agency of the ruling class
which is charged with the responsibility of exercising the state power on
behalf of the people.
FEDERALISM
K.C Wheare in his book title “federal
government”, defines federal principles as a way of sharing power between the
central and the regional government in such a way that both government are
independent and coordinated. He posited that in a federal system no level of
government is subordinate to the other; otherwise it becomes a unitary system.
Federalism can also be defines as the
devolution or the sharing of power between the federal and the component units
(state/local government).
DEVELOPMENT
It is the qualitative and qualities,
self-improvement of man that applies to whole societies and people. It means
the removal of obstacle to the progressive or qualitative transformation of man
and such obstacle include hunger, poverty, ignorance, disease, mal-nutrition,
unemployment, to mention but a few.
ADMINISTRATION
Administration is that part of management
which is concerned with the installation and carrying out of the procedures by
which the programmed of the organization is laid down and communicated to the
sub-system within the organization and the progress of the activities are regulated
and checked against the plan”(Brech,1957). It is also that aspect of management
concerned with the interpretation of policy and the implementation of the
procedures to effect it.
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
Inter-governmental relations referred to
the interaction and activities that takes place among the different units or
levels of government within a state.
1.7
ORGANIZATION OF WORK
This research is divided into five (5)
chapters as follows:
Chapter (1) is the introduction and it include
background of the study, statement of problems, objectives, significance,
research question, scope/limitation, conceptual clarification and
chapterization/organization of study. Chapter (2) deals with literature review
about scholar’s perception on inter-governmental relations. Chapter (3) deals
with research methodology, research design, types of research and data
analysis. Chapter (4) deals with data presentation, data analysis and testing
of hypothesis. Chapter (5) which is the last chapter of the research work deals
summery, recommendation and conclusion.
REFERENCES
Wheare , K.C.
(1963): Federal Government, London: oxford University
press,p14-20.
Nwokedi.
Ralph Chiemeka(2002). Power Sharing in Nigerian Federation.
Enugu :Snaap Press.
Ugwu, Samuel Chijioke (1998).Federal System;
The Nigerian Experience.
Enugu:Mary Dan Publishers.
Okoli, F,C and Fab.O.(2002).Public
Administration in Nigeria: Nature,
Principles and Application.
Enugu: John Jacobs Classic
Publishers limited.
Elaigwu,
J. Isawa (2007)Fiscal federalism in Nigeria; facing the
challenges of the future.
Jos: Aha publishing house.