LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

The problem of governance particularly at the local level has been a recurring decimal in the political history of Nigeria. Local government in Nigeria started during the colonial era when it was vested in traditional rulers and it operated in a very undemocratic manner. Over the years, efforts have been made to democratize local government and make it more responsive to developmental needs. The problems of local government in Nigeria have been documented and they include among other things, inadequate planning, poor implementation of policies, inadequate revenue, corruption and mismanagement, lack of adequately skilled manpower, lack of autonomy, lack of participation by the people and intergovernmental conflict.

The history of local government system in Nigeria dates back to the colonial days. Although contact with Europeans dates back to the fifteenth century, it was not until 1861 before the first steps were taken to establish an administration by Britain. The colonial administration that was established was based on indirect rule. This requires that the administration should be carried out through traditional rulers and institutions. This led to the establishment of native authorities in their most rudimentary forms from the 1890s to the 1930s. The main function of the native authorities was to maintain law and order.

The first native authority ordinance recognized traditional rulers as native authorities. This was easily done in Northern Nigeria but there was a problem in identifying who those authorities were in Southern Nigeria. This necessitated the first reforms in the 1930s and the 1940s culminating in the establishment of chiefs-in-council and chiefs-and-council in place of sole native authorities. The Chief-in-Council is made up of the chief and members of council. The chief presides at all meetings and acts in accordance with the majority of opinion in the council. But if he disagrees with the council, he would take whatever action he thought best and inform the Governor of the region. Contrarily, in the Chief-and-Council, the chief has no power to act against the decision or advice of the council. Under this arrangement, people particularly representatives of missionaries and British trading interest were appointed into the native authorities. The process of appointment of nominated members by the colonial government meant that nationalists were not appointed to serve on the councils. This led to further agitation for reforms in the native authorities.

In the years 1950-55, the first largely elected local government council based on the British Whitehall model emerged in Lagos and the former Eastern and Western regions. Traditional rulers constituted not more than 25 percent of most councils in the then Western region and Lagos. However, in Northern Nigeria, the changes were more gradual. The legal framework for local government at this period was provided by the Eastern region local government ordinance of 1950, the Western region local government law of 1952 and the 1954 Native Authority law in Northern Nigeria. By this time, the councils were given a wider range of functions including primary education, health, police, judiciary e.t.c. This is in line with the implementation of the colonial government’s ten-year welfare and development plan (1946-1956). The councils also enjoyed a great measure of autonomy in financial, personnel and general administrative matters. It can therefore be said that the 1950s was the era of pupilage for councils in modern local government throughout Nigeria.

Between 1960-1966, there was a decline in the prestige and responsibilities of local authorities. In the former Western region, the local government (Amendment) law 1960 abolished the powers of councils to levy education and general rates on the basis of need. In Lagos, there was a high rate of default in the payment of property rates including government institutions, which reduced the revenue of the local councils. The situation in Eastern Nigeria was similar to the West before the outbreak of the civil war in 1967. In Northern Nigeria, there were gradual changes in the structure of the councils with increasing numbers of elected or appointed non-traditional office holders becoming members of local authorities. The result was that the local authorities had a stable administration, which enabled them to assume responsibility, with some degree of success for more complex services like primary education. Between 1969/71, some state government introduced some changes in the structure of their councils.

In 1976, the Federal Government in collaboration with the state government embarked on extensive reforms of local government. The objectives of the reform were outlined as follows:

§        To make appropriate services and development activities responsive to local wishes and initiatives by devolving or delegating them to local representative bodies.

§        To facilitate the exercise of democratic self-government close to the grass roots of our society and to encourage initiative and leadership potential.

§        Mobilisation of human material resources through the involvement of members of the public in their local development, and

§        To provide a two-way channel of communication between local communities and government (both State and Federal)

For the first time in the history of local government in Nigeria, a uniform system was developed for the whole country. According to the then Chief of staff Brigadier Shehu M. Yar Adu’a in his forward to the Guidelines for Local Government Reform (1976):

In embarking on these reforms, the Federal Military Government was essentially motivated by the necessity to stabilize and rationalize Government at the local level. This must of necessity entail the decentralization of some significant functions of state governments to local levels in order to harness local resources for rapid development.

Unlike previous reform measures, which were highly restricted in scope and range, the 1976 reforms conceptualized local government as the third tier of government operating within a common institutional framework with defined functions and responsibilities. As the third tier of government, the local government gets statutory grants from Federal and state governments, and is expected to serve as agent of development especially in rural areas.

The intentions of the 1976 reform were debated by the constitution drafting Committee and the Constituent assembly in 1978. The result is that the 1979 constitution reaffirmed the development function as provided for in section 7, subsection 3.

It shall be the duty of a local government council within the State to participate in economic planning and development of the area referred to in subsection (2) of this section and to this end an economic planning board shall be established by a law enacted by the House of assembly of the State.

In addition, section seven of the 1979 Constitution provided for a democratically elected local government councils for the country. Unfortunately, during the Alhaji Shehu Shagari regime (1979-1983), the constitutional provisions were neglected. No elections were held and sole administrators were appointed. The Mohammadu Buhari regime (1983-1984) continued with the system of sole administrators. During Babangida regime (1984-1992) there were certain reforms aimed at ensuring local government autonomy. These included the abolition of the Ministry of Local Government; establishment of executive and legislative arms in local councils; and direct allocation to local government without passing through State government. The regime also increased local government statutory allocation from 15 percent to 20 percent with effect from 1992. It is important to point out that the intergovernmental relations between the Federal, state and local government has been characterized by both co-operation and conflict; but it is conflict that has predominated State-local Government relations.

The military has played a dominant role in the history, politics and constitutional development of Nigeria. There is hardly any analysis on any socio-economic, historical and political issue in Nigeria that can be done without looking at the impact of the military. Out of the 56 years of post independence Nigeria, the military ruled the country for 29 years. The military no doubt is a major force in determining and shaping socio-political relations. 

MEANING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Many scholars define local government differently. This is as a result of varied perspectives on  the actual role of local government which differ from  one  environment  to  another.  However, local  government  can  be defined  as  government  at  the  local  level  exercised  through representative  councils  established  by  law  to  exercise  specific  powers within defined areas ( Local Government Reform Handbook,1992). According to Oni, (1993), local government is that “level of  government exercised  through  representative  councils,  established  by  law  to exercise  geographical  area  with  common  social  and  political  ties”. These  powers  should  give  the  council  substantial  control  over  loc al affairs  as  well  as  the  st aff,  and  institutional  and  financial  powers  to initiate  and  direct  the  provision  of  services  and  to  determine  and implement projects so  as to  complement the activities of the state and federal governments in their areas. Local government syst em can be defined as: Government  at  local  level  exercise  through representative  councils  established  by  law  to exercise   specific   powers   within   defined   area. These powers  should give the council  substantial control  over  local  affairs  as  well  as  the  staff and institutional and  financial  powers  to  initiate  and direct  the  provision of  services  and  to  determine and  implement  projects  so  as  to  ensure  through devolution  of  functions  to  these  councils  and through  the  active  participation,  of  the  people and  their  traditional  institutions  that  local initiative  and  response  to  local  needs  and conditions are maximize d. (Awa, 2006:96)

These definitions are rooted in  the meaning of local government by the United  Nations,  office  for  Public  Administration  which  defines  local government as: A political division of a nation or (in federal system), state, which is constituted by law and has subst antial control of local affairs, including the powers to impose taxes or to exact labour for prescribed purpose(UN Report , 1960:3).  The governing body of such an entry is elected or otherwise locally selected. (Quoted in Ola, 1984:7). The common denominator in these definitions is that local government is  that  local  government  is  a  subordinate  system  of  government  and has  the  authority to  undertake  public  activities.   (Eneanya,  2012:15). This  authority  has  structures  and  functions,  collects  revenue, experiences  some  challenges  and  is  controlled  by  central  authority. These definitions  are  encompassing  and  most  widely  accepted  and have  theoretical  implications.  From the  definitions,  certain characteristics of local government stand out.

CHARACTERISICS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT Almost all local government bodies share certain characteristics:

•   That local government is a subordinate system of government;

·         A continuing organization;

·         The authority to undertake public activities;

·         The ability to enter into contracts;

·         The right to sue and be sued; and

·         The ability to collect taxes; and

·         Has  the  power  to  make  policies,  prepare  budgets  and  have  a measure of control over its own staff.

REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The following  are  the  reasons  for  establishing  local government (Eneanya,2012: 19-20):

Local government  provides  the  platform  for  people  to  conduct their  own  affairs  in  line  with  local  needs  aspirations,  resource s and  customs  which  they  alone  understand  better  than  any outside;

Provides  framework  for  mobilizing  and  sustaining  popular  zeal and initiative in development;

Serves  as  a  hedge  against  over-concentration  of  power  at  the centre which often leads to tyranny;

It acts as a two-way channel of communication between the local population and the central government.

It aggregates local interest and transmits these to  the centre and also  keeps  the  local  population  informed  about  central government policies and programmes; Local  government serves as  socio-economic laboratory for  testing new  proposals  for  government  organization  and  sound  economic policies; and Acts  as  training  ground  for  leadership  positions  at  the  national level.

The history of local government in Nigeria shows that there are problems of governance issues. Over the years, efforts have been made to reform the local government system and increase the participation of the people. Despite these reforms, there are problems with the local government system. However, these problems are not unique to the local government. They are also prevalent at the State and Federal levels. The present effort to single out the local government for reform with pre-determined terms of reference smacks of military hangover and may actually lead to democratic reversal in local governance. In order to consolidate the gains made in local governance over the years and reposition local government for greater performance, there is the need to reform local government along certain lines. First, local government as a third tier of government should not be scrapped or changed to local administration. Rather, it should be strengthened and democratized. Officials of the local government should always be elected and not appointed. Second, there is the need to put mechanism in place to promote transparency and accountability at all level of governance. In this regard, it will, be crucial to strengthen institutions of horizontal accountability and anti-corruption bodies. In addition, civil society organizations particularly at the local level should be reoriented and empowered to hold elected officials accountable. Moreover, there is a great need to reform the structure of government at all levels (Federal, State and local government). All these will require a comprehensive review of the 1999 Constitution. The Executive and legislature should display the political will and commitment to reform the 1999 Constitution that has been criticized by all strands of society. The reform of the constitution will address other issues that are germane to good governance such as party financing, campaign financing and proper electoral system to mention but a few. Finally, government should place premium on the participation of the people in all governance and development issues. If all these recommendations are implemented, not only the local government system but also other tiers of government will be in a better footing to deliver what Nigerians have termed dividends of democracy.

ORIGIN, REFORMS AND SYSTEMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local government system exists in every country with variations in its structures and functions.  Some countries operate  single-tier  system, where one  local  government exercises all the  powers  and  performs  all the  functions,  and multi-tier  structural  framework,  where  two  or  more local   governments   share   responsibilities   for   providing   a   range   of services  to  the  citizens  in  a  defined  area. 

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Nigeria  has  experimented  with  different  systems  of  local  government since  the  amalgamation  of  the  northern  and  southern  parts  of  the country  in  1914.   The  genesis  of  local  government  administration  in Nigeria  dates  back  to  pre-colonial period.   There were the   existence of emirate systems  of  Sokoto  and  Borno  caliphates:  Ibadan,  Egba,  Ekiti and  Oyo  empires.   In  these  kingdoms,  Emirs,  Obas  and  Chiefs  held sway  over  the  governance  of  their  respective  domains.   Moreover,  in these areas,  there were smaller  districts, villages and  wards that  were subject  to  the  kingdom  and  emirate  government.    These  smaller  or subordinate  levels  of  government  could  be  seen  or  described as  local government . Then was  the  emergence of indirect rule  system of British colonialism.

The  system  of  indirect  rule  system  later  degenerated  into  direct  rule because  “the  traditional  rulers  became  mere  local  agents  of  colonial officers.   The Emirs in the  North,  the  Obas  in  the  West  and  Warrant chiefs  in  the  East  became  sole  native  authorities  in  their domains”(Ugwu, 2000:8).

Consequently, there  was  a  reform  in  1930s  which  regularized  the position  of  the  Emirs  as  the  Sole  Native  Authorities and  consolidated emirate hegemony in  the  Northern  heartlands.   Similar developments occurred in the  West and  to  some  extent in the  East.   The pattern differed from one district to another.

NATIVE ADMINISTRATION

The  structural  arrangement  of  Native  Administration  in  the  Northern Region  and  other  parts  of  Nigeria,  had  the  head  of  administration  as the  Governor  General.      The  Governor  General  was  responsible  for directing the overall policies of the territory, including matters relating to the Native Administration. The  Lieutenant  Governors  were  in  charge  of  Southern  and  Northern Administration with headquarters at Lagos and Kaduna.  Among other things they were  in  charge  of  producing  the  annual  budget  of  their areas which are incorporated into the Central budget(Ugwu,2000).

The  Provincial  administration  was  extended  to  every  part  of  the country.    Prior  to  this  period,  it  operated  only  in  the  North.    The number of provinces in  the  South  increased from three  to  nine.   They included: Abeokuta, Benin, Oyo, Warri, Calabar, Ogoja, Ondo, Onitsha and  Owerri.   Each  province  was  under  the  leadership  of  a  Resident, was responsible for the overall performance of the public services in  his  jurisdiction.   The  Resident  was  responsible  to  the  appropriate Lieutenant-Governor(Ugwu, 2000).

Under Sir Governor Bernard Bourdillion (1939-1943), Southern Nigeria was divided  into  Eastern  and  Western  groups  of  provinces.   He  used River  Niger  as  the  determining boundary.    From  1939  onwards, there existed  three  groups  of  provinces  –  Northern,  Eastern  and  Western, with  each  under a Lieutenant Governor  with  headquarters at  Kaduna, Enugu and Ibadan, respectively. Each  province  had  Divisional  Administration  with  District  Officers (D.Os)  as  heads.   The  District   Officers  and  Assistant  District  Officers were  the  officials  centrally  concerned  with  the  execution  and implementation  of  government  policies  and  to  a  less  extent,  the formulation of policies at this level.

Below  this  structure  were  the  separate units of  Native  administration of  varying  sizes  and  types.    The  native  administration  was  operated through  the  system  of  indirect  rule.      The  colonial  government recognized  and  strengthened  the  role  of  traditional  rulers  and  chiefs and  through  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order,  revenue  collection, provision   of   services,   political   administration   were   affected (Ugwu, 2000).

The  Native  Administration  under  the  indirect  rule  system  was successful in the Northern region, partially successful in the West, but failed in the East.  The failure in the East was due to the decentralized nature  of  the  Igbo  traditional  political  system.    Besides,  the  Aba Women  Riot  of  1929,  as  of  inadequacy  of  the  indirect  rule  system resulted in the adoption of the “Best Man Policy”.  Under this system, Warrant Chiefs no longer represented the people in the council rather the people now elected their own representatives into the native courts and local  councils (Ugwu, 2000) .  Thus, the  Native  Administration gave way  for  representative  local  authorities  the  Southern  part  of  Nigeria, while  it  persisted  in  the  North,  until  the  first  military  intervention  of 1966.

GROWTH OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The  Native  Administration  system  continued  to  thrive  in  the  North until  the  emergence  of  modern  local  system from  1952-1965, and  the era of Caretaker Committees and Sole Administrator Systems. However, since 1970, the number of local government rose from 299 in 1970 to 301 in 1979, to 781 in 1981, when the state government were given authority to create  local  government.  After  the  overthrow  of  the  civilian  government  in 1984, the numbers were again reduced to 301 and later they increased to 449 in 1987; 589 in 1991 and 774 in 1996.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS IN NIGERIA

The reforms in local  government  Administration  in  Nigeria  was instigated by  criticisms of  educated elites who  felt marginalized in  the indirect rule system.   The reforms were mostly notable in  the  Eastern and Western parts of Nigeria.   

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS BEFORE 1966

Before the 1950s, the colonial government used Indirect  Rule through the  Native  Authorities  (NA)  to  administer  the  grassroots.  The  NA operated  under  the  District  Officer  (DO)  with  the  cooperation  of Traditional Rulers.  The 1950s witnessed “some notable reforms in the local   government   administration mostly   in   the   Southern   part   of Nigeria” (Ugwu,  2003:  14).   

Their  administrative  procedures  were  as follows:

•   Funds were raised mainly through taxation collected by the  NAs, which retained a part for the maintenance of their services.

•   Budget  'was  prepared  under the guidance of  the District Officer (DO) and approved by government.

•   Southern Nigeria mounted stiff  opposition  against  the  system in early  1950s  with  the  government  of  Eastern  Region,  abolishing native  administration  and  replacing  it  with  the  Local  Council Ordinance of 1950. The Western Region followed

with the  Local Council Law of 1952, while the Northern Region passed a corresponding law in 1954.    In the East, the structure was  patterned  after  the  British  system  of  local  government.   It was a three-tier structure, as follows:

(i)  County (Divisional council)

(ii)  District council

(iii)    Local council

The  reform  made  a  provision  that  all  members  of  the  council were  to  be  elected  by  the  people.        Due  to  inadequate administration  and  lack  of   experience,  to  operate   this   new system,  the  local  government  was  restructured  into  a  two  tier structure: (a) Urban and County Council and ; (b) Local Councils, which replaced the three-tier system (Ugwu, 2000). In the Western region, the  activities of the traditional rulers gave impetus  to  the  1952  Western  Regional  Local  Government  Law. The  law  made  provision  for  a  three-tier  structure  as  follows:  (a) Divisional  office;  (b)  District  Council; and (c)  Local  Council.  This was  also  patterned  along  the  British  system  with  its  functions including  ambulance  services,  maternity  centres  and  hospitals, agriculture,  veterinary  and  forestry  services, primary  and  post-primary  education (Ugwu, 2000).  Agreement was entered between the  educated  elites  and  traditional  rulers  for  the  latter  to  be allocated twenty-five percent of the membership of the council. In  the  Northern  Region,  the  Native  Administration  system survived  and  remained  strong  until  the  collapse  of  the  First Republic in 1966.

•   Local  Council  Service  Boards  were  created  in  Southern  parts  of Nigeria in  1955 to  regulate the powers of the local authorities on appointment  of  employees.  In the  North,  appointments  were  on the approval of the appropriate regional minister of government.

•   In 1960, the laws were amended in line with regional experiences and dictates  of  the  time.  Ministry of  Local  Council  was  later created to strengthen inspection of finance and personnel.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS DURING MILITARY RULE

When  the  military  struck  in  1966,  local  administration  system  was abolished  via  Decree  34.  The native  court  system  became  part  of  the judiciary,  while  the  local  council  police  was  dissolved  and  integrated into  the  federal police force. Native Authority  Prisons were  also taken over by Federal' Prisons. The autonomy and power of the councils were further eroded.

Under the military, the reforms in the North resulted to:

(a)  Increased scope of local participation

(b) Creation of  new  administrative units  and  structures to  facilitate more participation and  effective mobilization and management of resources for development purposes.

However, the local government structures differed from one state to the other  in  the  North.    For  instance,  Kwara  and  Benue-Plateau  states established  the  local  administrat ion  system  comprising  the  local authorities  with  Districts  councils  as  subordinate  units.    The  other states  in  the  North  such  as  North-Central,  North  Eastern,  North Western  and  Kano  adopted  a  three-tier  structure  made  up  of  the following :

(a)  The local Authority

(b) The Administrative Area Council/ Area Development Board

(c) The District Council.

The structures were similar to the three-tier structures adopted in the Southern   part   of   the   Nigeria   in   1950s.      Moreover, Township Administration also existed in areas such as: New Bussa and Bacita in Kwara,  Borno  in  North-Eastern, Zaria  in  the  North  Central  and  Kano Township which had a metropolitan planning Development Board. In  the  East  Central  States,  a  new  pattern  of  local  government Administration  was  established.   It  was  known  as  the  “Development Administration” system.  It  also existed in the South Eastern and  Mid-Western   states (Ugwu,   2000).     The   philosophy   of   the   system   is anchored on  community self-help.   However,  the  reorganization of  the system  was  affected  by  the  Divisional  Administration  Edict  of  1971.

This  system  introduced  a  two-tier  structure  of  Divisional  and Community  Councils.   At  the  divisional  levels,  the  local  authority  in relation  to  a  community  council  area,  was  the  Divisional  officer-in-council  of  the  Divisional council  and  in  relation  to  an  Urban council area,  the  Redsident-in-council of  the Urban  council.   The  system also established  an  administrative  and  coordinating  relation  between  the state  government  and  community  council  on  one  hand  and  bet ween the state government and the ordinary citizen on the other.  The aim of this was to bring  the  government nearer to the people and  reduce the barrier between the people and their environment (Ugwu, 2000). In the West,  the  Council  Manager system was  adopted.   The idea was borrowed  from  North  America.    It  was  aimed  at  integrating  some private  sector  techniques  into  public  sector  management.      The structure of Council Manager System was made up of a council elected or  appointed members which play the  role  of  a  board  of  directors in  a business  organization  and  secretary  who  performed  the  function  of  a chief executive in a  company.  Each council had a standing committee responsible  for  formulating  policies,  preparing  and  receiving  annual council  budgets,  and  offering  support  to  the  secretary  who  served  as the  chief  executive  officer.   The  chairman  of  the  standing  committee was  also  the  chairman  of  the  council,  and  was  selected  on  annual basis  by  the  members  of  the  council  from  among  themselves (Ugwu, 2000).

With the creation of 12 States in 1967, the Eastern and Mid-West state governments took  over  the  running  of  local  political  institutions.  The West adopted a North American model of council manager system and in most  of  the  Northern States, popular representation and weakening of  traditional  leadership  hold  on  local  councils  was  increasingly emphasized.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS SINCE 1976 AND BEYOND

In  1976,  it  was  felt  that  these  reforms  were  not  sufficient  to  bring about  the  type  of  socio-economic  and  political  changes  envisaged  at the local governments. In 1976,  a  uniform  structure  was  introduced  for  local  councils  all  over  the federation. Traditional rulers were denied of roles in the running of the councils.

The council was  made a third-tier of government with a population of not  less than 150,000 people or  more than 800,000. Specific functions were defined for the council.

All  the  provisions  of  the  1976  reforms  were  incorporated  into  the  1979 constitution with  the  introduction of  presidential system of  government. This 1976 reform re-defined  local  governments and  changed their orientation from field  administrations  of  the  state  governments  to  being  simultaneous  local government  structures  that  were  responsible  to  the  electorate.      The  reform introduced  a  most  innovative  and  rather  radical  departure  from  the  existing structured pattern of local government in the country.  High-lights of the reform are:

Abolition  of  the  old  divisional  administration  system  previously  in operation in several parts of the country,

Provision  of  a  multi-purpose,  single-tier  local  authorities,  tagged  local government with chief executive system of management;

Provision of federal grants to be disbursed to local governments through the states;

Introduction of Supervisory Councillorship particularly  in  the  Southern States.  Each of the Supervisors was to be in charge of one or more related departments in the local council.

 

 

The  progress  made  in  local  government  reforms  in  1976  was  virtually eclipsed   in   the   early  1980s,   when  the   authority   vested   by   the   1979 constitution in  the  states  to  create  local  government  led  to  proliferation of local governments. This had the perverse effects of both stressing the limited capacity for governance at the local government level and of intensifying the problem of sharing the limited resources among a vastly increased number of local governments. Moreover, the reform failed to address the issue of power separation between the arms  of  government  as  is  typically  the  case  in  a Presidential system of government. However, all the provisions of, the 1976 reforms were incorporated into  the  1979  Constitution  with   the  introduction  of  presidential system of government

DASUKI  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE  OF 1984

As a result of these noticeable inadequacies, it was felt that the 1976 nation-wide local  government  reforms  were  not  sufficiently  able  to  generate  the desire impact.   This  led to  the  setting up  of the  Dasuki Local Government Review  Committee in  1984.   In 1986, Alhaji  Ibrahim Dasuki  Report  made improvement  on  the  state  of  local  councils.  The  exercise  ended  up  in worsening the problem of  local government.   The  government white paper subordinated the local government to the States.   External revenues to local governments were drastically reduced.  State governments were now to make available only 10 per cent of their internal revenues to the local government, which they failed to do.   The subordination of the local governments to the States  was  completed  with  the  introduction  of  Sole-  Administrators,  who became  agents of  the  State  governments  and  the  gain  of 1976  reform  was lost.    The recommendations also led to the scrapping of the state ministries of local council in 1988 and  the  policy  of direct  disbursement of statutory allocations was introduced.

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM OF 1988

Following  the  recommendations  of  another  Local  Government  Review Commission in 1988, the Federal government adopted a number of measures to strengthen local government.  The new measures were:

Abolishing  State  Ministries  of  local  government,  which  had  extensive review  and  supervisory  authority  over  local  governments  and  its replacement  by  a  department  of  Local  Government  in  the  Governor’s office;

Paying federal allocations to local governments directly;

By-passing State government in Statutory allocations, which have moved from 10 per cent to 23 per cent;

Strengthening  local  government  financial  administration  by   granting local government’s authority  to prepare and  approve  their own  budgets and taxes independently of State governments;

Rationalizing local government organizations;

Transferring primary  education and  primary  healthcare  and  all  related personnel and facilities to local government;

Creating  the  office  of  Director  of  Local  government  Audit  as  well  as setting up local government Alarm Committee and Involving traditional rulers in local government affairs

ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS

Additional 149 councils were created in 1989 and new allocation formula gave 15 per cent to the councils.

Primary  Health  care  programme  was  transferred  to  the  local council in 1990.

Primary  school   administration  followed   in   1991.  There   was separation of power and appointment of political secretaries.

Local  Council  Service  Commission  was  abolished  in  1992  and  later reinstated. The revenue allocation formula was raised to 20 per  cent.      Later  the  councils  were  increased  to  774,  with administration and financial autonomy granted.

Gains  in  Council  reforms  appeared  harmed  by  the  1999 Constitution, which introduced ambiguity and contradictions in the  control  and  running  of  the  local  councils.  For  example, Section  7  (I)  States:  "The  system  of  Local  Government  by democratically  elected  local  councils  is  under  this  constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the government of every state shall subject  to  Section  8  of  this  constitution, ensure  their  existence under  a  law  which  provide  for  the  establishment  structure,  composition, finance and functions of such councils."

Section  7 (6a)  provides  that  "the  National  Assembly  shall  make provisions for statutory allocation of public revenue to local councils in the federation." And Section 7(6b) compounds the confusion by stating that "House of Assembly of a State shall make provisions for statutory allocation of public revenue to local councils, within the state."

In  addition,  Section  8  (5  and  6)  empowers  the  National  Assembly  to legislate on  new  councils  before  they  can  become legal.  With the state government, state House of  Assembly  and  the  National  Assembly  all

having  roles  to  play  in  the  affairs  of  the  local  council,  it  is  not  a surprise  that  confusion,  intrigues  and  non-performance  has  been  the lot of governance at the grassroots levels, hence the need for reforms.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF 2004.

This  review  took  place  under  the  chairmanship  of  the  Late  Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Umaru Sanda Ndayako and later replaced by Alhaji Liman Ciroma.  The Federal  Government  issued  white  paper  on  the  Report  and  the  National Council of States endorsed the report.  The contents of the report were:

It retained the existing 774 local government councils;

All local government council  must submit their  annual budgets to their State Houses of Assembly for approval;

Ensure that  whatever  is  due  to  local  governments  is  made  available  to them, including 10 per cent of the monthly generated revenue or whatever portion of money that comes from the federal to the States that is meant for the local government;

That local government should fund their various services and  Agencies, including  paying  salaries  of  paramount  Traditional  Rulers  and  primary school teachers.

Administration of local government is purely the responsibility of State House of Assembly, which will make appropriate legislation and Establishment of inspectorate department to enforce compliance with the local government budget as  approved by the  planning and  legal  units  in the local government councils.

In 2005, another  provision  was  enacted  into  law  by  the  National Assembly  which  empowers  Local  Government  Allocation  to  be  paid directly to them, instead of the previous arrangement of having State-Local Joint Account. President Buhari recently reverted to this format too after the 2019 General Elections. Statutory allocation meant for local government was increased to  23  per  cent.  The  idea  of  paying  the  statutory  allocation direct  to  local government is to forestall the possibility of State Governments manipulation of  the  joint  account  to  their  favour.  This  latest  provision  has  received criticism from the Conference of Assembly of Speakers, who looked at such provision   as   unconstitutional   and   encouraging   corruptions   in   Local Government  Administration.   Though, the  Assembly  of  Speakers  criticize this provision,  majority of Nigerians welcome this development, in view  of clever manipulations of State Governments to State-Local Government Joint Accounts.      It was  believed  that  the  reform  would  enable  the  Local Government  Councils  fulfill  their  primary  functions  of  grass-root development.

Another important innovation arising from the reform was the policy decision to provide training at all levels for all categories of local government officials. Before    then,    local    government    positions    were    filled    by    unskilled functionaries, most of them with a  maximum of primary or secondary school education.  The  reform  initiated  training  programmes  for  senior  local government  officials  in  three  centers  --  the  Universities  of  Ife,  Zaria  and Nsukka.

These  reforms  led  to  a  considerable  change  of  Nigerian  administrative  and political institutions. It  has  become a  primary level of  grassroots democracy and distribution of socio-economic programmes in Nigeria.

 CLASSIFICATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Local  government  systems  are  classified  into  three  major  groups, namely:

i)   The French local government system

ii)  The Anglo-Saxon local government system and

iii) The communist local government system

THE FRENCH SYSTEM

In the French system, local governments are regarded as the local arm of the  central  government.  Under  this  system,  the  local  government councils  are  given  important  power  and  duties,  which  they  exercise through  their  principal  officers,  the  mayor.  The  proceedings  of  their deliberations, however, are subject to  the  direction, approval or veto of a  civil  servant  (the  perfect),  who represents the  government of  French in the field.  The French system is among the most non -representative. Its  basic  structure, codified  by  Napoleon  1,  developed  out  of  the need of  revolutionary  France  to  curtail  the  power  of  local  notables,  while hastening  government  reform.      It stresses  clear  lines  of  authority, reaching from the central government’s ministry of the interior through the  centrally appointed  prefect  of  the  department to  the  municipality, which has a locally elected mayor and  municipal council.   The prefect, being    both    the   chief   executive   of   the    department   and   the representative of  the  central  bureaucracy,  provides  the  channel  of centralization,  with  wide  authority   to  over-rule  local  councils  and supervise  local  expenditures.      Variants  of  this  system  are  found throughout Europe and in former French colonies.

Between the  periods 1971 to the early part of 1979, the three states of Nigeria  (East  Central,  South  Eastern  and  Rivers  States)  structured their local governments deliberately after  the  French system. The Mid-West State latter borrowed  a  leaf from  the  Eastern states.  The  reason for this  system was to whittle down the  autonomy of local government and solve the problem of abuse of power by them.

ANGLO-SAXON SYSTEM

The  British  system  of  local  government  is  most  representative  of  the major  types  and  has  been  the  model  of most of  that  country’s  former colonies. This    model  is    characterize d  by    granting  autonomy  to    local government s  by  the  central  government.  These  powers  were  usually exercised  through  elected  councils  on  the  county  and  sub-county levels.        This  system  was  marked  by  le ss  central  government interference  and  greater  local  budgetary  authority  than  in  other systems.     The  basic  point  is  that  it  is  the  central  government  that determines  how  much  autonomy  the  local  government  will  have.

Theoretically,   the   central   government   can   curtail   the    powers exercisable  by  local  governments.    A  special  feature  of  the  British system is its use of an extensive committee system, instead of a strong executive, for supervising the administration of public services.

MARXIAN SYSTEM

From  Marxian  perspective,  a  question  may  be  raise d  as  to  whether local  government  is  not  merely  an  instrumental value,  established  to serve the interest s of the bourgeoisie and to buttress its power over the peasants and the masses.

In  Marxist-society,  there  is  no  need  to  set  up  local  governments  as local  government  has  vibrant  life  of  their  own,  their  activities  being designed to  serve mainly the interests of the  localities. For example, in Russia, local governments  constitute  a  part  of  a  complex  of government al agencies whose main purpose is to serve as an economic planning  unit.  In  Communist  China,  Local  Government  is  more elaborately structured and  plays a  somewhat different role. Here, the focus of the  local government system is the country. The population of the country ranges from several hundred thousand to  over one million people.  It  manages  local  public  works  including  irrigation  projects, repairing  basic  consumer   goods  and  agricultural  supplies  and equipment. The country is  encouraged to  develop  internally  integrated and externally independent economies.  However, while most countries have complex systems of  local  government, those of  France and  Great Britain have served as models for much of the rest of the world.

THEORIES, STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

THEORIES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Gboyega  (1987)  identified two  sets of theories. The  first  set tries to justify the existence of  or the need for local government on the  ground of its essentiality to  a  democratic  regime  or  for  practical  administrative  purpose  like responsiveness,  accountability and  control.  The  second  set  opposes  the  first that  the  existence  of  local  government  cannot  be  justified  by  any  of  those reasons  mentioned  above  in  that  “local  government  institutions  are  neither democratic  in  their  internal  operation  nor  admit  of  responsiveness accountability and control”. According  to  the  latter  argument,  local  government  and  democracy  stand  at the  extreme  of  opposite  ends  of  a  polar  or  are  in  antithetical  relationship  to one  another,  such  that  the  weakness  of  one  is  the  strength  of  the  other.

Gboyega  (1987)  cited  some  of  the  scholars  in  first  category  as  Mill,  Panter-Brick,  Wilson,  Bentham,  Mackenzie,  Harold  Laski  and  others.  Their  lines  of arguments as expressed by Gboyega (1987), are;

 (a)  services   are   made   relevance   to   local   people   and   are   locally administered

(b)  provides education in citizenship

(c)  provides training in political leadership

(d)  makes  available  to  the  government  information  about  localities which  is  essential  for  adequately  meeting  their  need  efficiently, and  minimizes  concentration  of  political  power  by  diffusing  it  a reality,

(e)  The  values  stated  above  promote  democracy  and  contribute  to the development of democratic climate

In  domesticating the  above  theories, Oyediran  (1998)  argues  with  reference to Nigeria that;

(1)  certain functions of local government are purely local in character and should be locally demanded ,

(2)  local   government   gives    a   viable   opportunity   for    education   and citizenship  (political  education).      In  other  words,  local  government provides an opportunity for democratic decision making.

(3)  Local  council  is  more  easily  held  accountable  to  local  groups  and individuals than the otherlevels of government and their agencies.

(4)  Local  government  is  a  training  ground  for  state  and  national  political leaders,  particularly  in  a  developing  country,  such  as:  Nigeria.  Local government has important role to play in national development.

 However, three separate theories of  local government are  common in literature. They are:

1. Democratic - participatory school of thought

2. Efficiency – service school of thought

3. Resource mobilization theory

DEMOCRATIC – PARTICIPATORY THEORY

This school of thoug ht hold the view t hat local governments exist solely  for  the  purpose of  promot ing  democracy and  participation at the grassroots level, thereby bringing government nearer to the people (Adamolekun, et al; 1988: 62). Local  government  offers  the  local  people  the  opportunity  to manage their affairs. It is a tool for grassroots democracy.

EFFICIENCY – SERVICES THEORY

This  school  of  thought  emphasizes  efficient  service  delivery. There  are  some  services,  such  as:  local  roads,  distri bution  of water  supply,  housing  for  low  income  groups,  health  services, agriculture,  are  of  paramount  importance  to  local  needs.  Local governance in  terms  of  efficient delivery  of  services is,  therefore, inevitable.  Local  government  can  provide  services  to  local  nee ds far    more    efficient ly    and    economically  than    the    central government . (Adamelekun, et al. 1988: 12)

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION THEORY

The  third  justification  is  that  local  governments  permit  local resources  both  human  and  malarial  to  be  mobilized  for  rural development. Local governments are,  thus, veritable instruments most  strategically placed  for  stimulating grassroots  development and bringing about rural transformation (Eminue, 2006:31)

In summary, the theories above emphasize certain basic elements that explain the role of local government administration:

1. Citizen’s participation in the management of local affairs.

2. Efficient and  efficient  provision  of  essential  services  or  service delivery

3. Resources mobilization for development purposes.

STRUCTURES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Nigeria  operates  presidential  system  of  government  since  1979.  The local  government  administ ration  as  the  third-tier  of  government  in Nigeria has its powers divided into three arms  of government. There is plurality  ofadminist rative  structure.  They  include  the  executive  arm and legislative arm.   In  this  unit, we  shall  examine the administrative structures of local government.

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF EXECUTIVE ARM

The  Executive  arm  of  local  government  administration  comprises  the chairman,   vice-chairman,   supervisors,   the   secretary   and   other principal officers of the local government. The office of the secretary to the local government is now political. The staff of the local government (career  civil  servants)  constitut es  the  administrative  unit  which  is under  the  supervision  of  the  executive  arm  of  government.  They comprise of the “Head of Personnel Management, Heads of department of works,  education,  agriculture,  health,  finance  and  supplies”

The  Heads  of  departments  are  subjected  to  annual  performance evaluation  based  on  concrete  achievement.  Each  Head  of  department will  be evaluated by the  Secretary to  local  government in  consultation with  the  chairman.    The  secretary  will  in  turn  be  evaluated  by  the chairman of the relevant local government.

STRUCTURE OF THE LEGISLATURE

The  Legislative  arm  of  local  government  consists  of  elected councilors representing  various  wards  in  the  local  government.   The  Council  is the  legislative arm  and  consists of the Leader, the  Deputy Leader and Councilors.  The Council is conferred with the power to make bye -laws. To  become  effective,  such  bye-laws  must  be  assented  to  by  the Chairman  of  the  Local  Government  Council.      The  Chairman  may, however,  withhold  his  assent  in  exercise  of  his power  of  veto.   This could be over-ridden by two-third majority of members if the Chairman refuses to assent to bye-law duly passed by the Council.

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The functions  of local governments  in  Nigeria as a  third-tier of government  is clearly  recognized  in  the  Fourth  Schedule  of  1979,  1989  and  1999 constitution, Section 7(1) and these include (Quoted in Eneanya, 2012).

MANDATORY LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

i.  Collection  of  rates  (including  tenement  rates)  radio,  television and  non-mechanically  propelled  vehicle  licenses(  bicycles  and trucks);

ii.  Establishment  and  maintenance  of  cemeteries,  burial  grounds, homes  for  destitute  and  infirm,  market,  motor-parks,  public conveniences,  roads,  drawn  and  recreation  facilities  (including play-grounds and parks);

iii.  Construction  and  maintenance  of  roads,  streets  lighting,  drains and other  public  highways, parks, gardens, open spaces or  such facilities  as  may  be  prescribed  from  time  to  time  by  the  State House of Assembly;

iv.  Assessment    of   privately   owned   house    or   tenements   for   the purpose of levying such  rates as  may  be prescribed  by the house of Assembly of State;

v.  Naming of roads and streets and numbering of houses;

vi.  Licensing, regulation and control of the sale of liquor.

vii.  Control  and  regulation  of  outdoor  advertising  and  hoardings, pots, shops, kiosks, restaurants and laundries;

viii.  Registration of all births, deaths and marriages.

 

FUNCTIONS IN WHICH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE TO PARTICIPATE

i.  State economic planning and development;

ii.  Provision  and  maintenance  of  primary  education  services,  adult and vocational education;

iii.  Development  of  agriculture  and  natural  resources  (other  than the exploitation of minerals)

iv.  Provision and maintenance of health services.

v.  Other  functions   as  may  be  conferred   on  a  local  government council by the House of Assembly of the State.

 

The functions of local government are numerous.   The Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution made elaborate provisions on the  functions  of local  government .      These functions cut across  all  states  of  the federation.     However, the   environment   of  every   local   government council  will  to  a  large  extent  determine  the  nature and  volume  of  the functions  of  the  local  government.    For instance, the functions  of urban local governments will significantly differ from that of rural local government s in  respect of  the  degree  of involvement and nature of the roles to  be  performed.   Despite this, all local governments throughout the federation shall perform these functions.

LEGISLATIVE FUNCTIONS

The local government Council’s legislative arm consists of the Leader, the Deputy Leader and Councilors.  The powers vested in the Council as conferred on it by law can be described as its functions. 

The Legislative arm of local government is conferred with powers and functions as follows:

- Debating, approving or amending the annual budget proposed by the Executive arm.  Though, the Chairman could veto these activities, members of the Council could over-ride this decision by two-third majority votes;

- Making of bye-laws.  Bye-laws have the force of law within the local government are;

- Vetting and monitoring the implementation of projects and programmes in the annual budget of the local government;

- Examining and de bating the monthly statements of income and expenditure rendered to it by the Chairman of Local government; and

-          Advising, consulting and liaising with the Chairman of the Local government.

MODE OF EXERCISING LEGISLATIVE POWERS

The legislative powers vested in the local government Council shall be exercised by bye-laws duly passed by the Council.  To become effective, such bye-laws must be assented to by the Chairman of the Local Government, if the bye-law is passed again by the Council by two-third majority of members.  In such cases, the by e-laws shall become effective and assent of the Chairman of Local Government shall not be required in respect of such a bye-law (Eneanya, 2012).

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUE, PROBLEMS AND CONTROL

The performance of any local government is subject to the availability of funds.  There are many responsibilities of local government that required adequate funding.  The sources of revenue of local government  in  Nigeria  include:  the

external and internal sources.

EXTERNAL SOURCES

-          Statutory  Allocation  from  federal  Government  –  the  Nigerian constitution  stipulates  that  the  revenue  of  the  federation  shall  be shared  between  the  three  tiers  of  government  federal,  state  and  local government s. Consequently, local governments receive a  percentage of the  federally-generated  revenue  annually.  This  percentage  changes with  time,  according  to   acts  and  decrees.  Presently,  it  stands  at slightly above 20% .

-          Grants  from  the  federal  or  state  government  grants  are  money  made available  to  local  government  by  federal  or  state  governments to  help them  large  projects  or  provision  of  infrastructure  special  grants  may also  be  made  available  by  Federal  or  state  government  to  assist  local government  provide  some  services  of  national  importance,  such  as; education  agriculture,  health  environmental/ecological  problems  or natural disasters.

-          Value Added Tax VAT) – Local government share from value Added tax generated  revenue  that  distributed  by  the  federal  government  Nigeria. Value Added Tax (VAT) system started in Nigeria in 1995.

INTERNAL SOURCES

Revenue can also be generated internally: -

(i) Loans from Bank – The local government can obtain loans from financial  institutions  to  enable  them  finance  development projects, such  as:  water  supply, rural  electricity, construction of  roads  and  provision  of  health  facilities.  This  is  however, subject to the approval of state government.

(ii)     Rates –  This refers  to  the  levies collected by local government authorities  from  the  services  the  council  provides.  The  rates are collected on market skills, motor Parks, supermarkets and shops,  some  rates  are  also  collected  from  bicycle  and  motorcycle licences television, radio sets etc.

Special levies This refers to levies imposed on  the  residents of local governments as a means of generating internal revenue.

Income  from  commercial  ventures  one  of  the  sources  of revenue to local  governments is income from their commercial activities.    Some    local    governments  maintain    transport services,  farms,  holiday  resorts,  consultancy  services,  guest houses etc.

(iii)     Revenue    from    investments   –    local    government   derive revenue  by  investing  their  money  in  profit  yielding  economic ventures, such  as  buying  of  shares, entering  into  partnership with  viable  commercial organizations  and  financing  economic projects that could provide good revenue in return.

(iv)     Personal  income  tax  –    Local    government  councils   collect income taxes from non-salary earners,   keep some percentage and pay the balance to the state government.

(v) Court fines –  Court  fines  are  imposed  on  individuals  that  violate local  government  bye-laws,  sanitary  regulations  and  ban  on street t rading and hawking.

(vi)     Property or tenement rate    –    Property   or    tenement    rate    is impose d on-the   owners  of  private  and  commercial houses.  It is base d on the value of the building and property.

(vii)   Donations – Donations from  public  spirited individuals in  the local  government  organizes  launching  from  special  community project.

(viii)  Miscellaneous   –   Sales   of   seized   goods   and   selling   of Asset (Ashiru,  1998:5).  Moreover,  local  government  can  raise revenue  from  other  unexplored  areas,  such  as:  building residential  estates,  floating  micro-finance  banks,  engaging  in trading  activities,  poultry,  food  processing  transport  activities and other small scale business.

IMPROVING THE REVENUE GENERATION CAPACITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Public finance management connotes the receipt and application of funds. To improve the operational activities of local government and improve on revenue generation demands new strategies.  Bribery and corrupt ion are the major problem in the local governments. Most revenues collected end up in private pockets. Revenue collectors should be adequately trained and monitored other revenue leakages avenues to private pockets in the local governments are: finance/revenue section, billing and tax records section, property valuation and pay roll etc. These sections can be computerized to meet contemporary accounting standards and facilitate inspection when needs arises (Ojofertimi, 1998:11). Measures should also be put in place to minimize the discretion of assessors, especially in motor parks and tenement rates. Efficient and fraud proof supervision machinery can make revenue generated safe for socio-economic development. Joint state – local g overnment account – this joint account should be stopped as state governments in Nigeria have found as avenue to divert local government funds and starve LGs of fund. The federal decision to allocate fund directly to local governments, if enforced would save the situation.

SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE REVENUE GENERATION

The following suggestions can boost revenue base in local government:

(i) Allowing  local  governments  to  receive  direct  allocation  from  federation account, instead of passing through “joint state-local government account”.

(ii)     Effective  monitoring  of  revenue  collection officers.  Some  officers  use fake  receipts  and  other  fraudulent  activities  to  administer  revenue collection.      In  most  cases,  fund  generated  often  find  itself  in  private pockets. Close monitoring and supervisions would check such leakages.

(iii)      Federal  and  State  governments  should  increase  grant-in-aid  to  local governments  in  view  of  so  many  projects  begging  for  attention  at  the grass-root levels,

(iv)    Local government should partner with private sectors for developmental Projects. The rapid nature  of urbanization calls for corporate bodies to be aware of their social responsibilities in this regard.

(v)      Local governments should embark  on people-oriented projects,  such  as: employment  generation  projects,  production  and  trading  activities,  food processing  projects,  etc.        Such  projects  would  not  only  promote employment generation but contribute in socio-economic development.

(vi)   Local  governments  can raise  additional revenue by introducing  fees  and charges  in such of its services, preventing fraud  and effective checks on tax evaders (Ugwu, 2003: 47).

(iv)      The  council  should  be  elected  and  members  elect  chairman  and cabinet  members.  The  chairman  and  his  cabinet  would  work  full time,  while  councilors  would  work  part-time  and  be paid  sitting allowances.   This would reduce the cost of governance at the local level.   The jumbo pay enjoyed presently by elected chairman and councilors   are   the   cause   of   “do   or   die”   politics. By   that arrangement, persons with means of livelihood and genuine interest to serve will emerge, as against those who see the grassroots politics as a “cow to be milked”.

(v)     Local governments  can  raise  additional  revenue  through  a  variety  of means,  such  as:  increasing  their  user  fees  and  charges,  raising  local taxes,  introducing new  taxes ,  introducing new  taxes  and  charges, and selling of assets, etc.

(vi)           The local government should use improvement programmes, by adopting effective cost-cutting devices to achieve objectives.

(vii) The Planning, Research and Statistics  unit  of  the  local  government should   use   computer  system  to   prepare   data  bank   on   properties, building, number of vehicles using the motors parks, market stalls, and make  effective  planning  of  sources  of  revenue  and  how  to  mobilize these resource for revenue generation.

(viii)    Finally, there  is  need  to  maintain  accountability,  transparency  and effective  record  management of  revenue  generated .   In other words, there  is  need  to  computerize  finance  and  revenue  section  of  local government in order to sustain financial accountability and probity.

PROBLEMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA

The following are the problems of local government administration:

(i)  Inadequate Finance

Most Local Governments do not have enough fund to carry out  its statutory  responsibilities.  The internally generated funds are inadequate grants and  federal  allocated  revenues  are  manipulated by most  state  governments,  through  Joint-Account  and  funds  diverted. Hence,  funds  available  to  local  governments  are  grossly  inadequate that  will  enable  the  comical  provide  social  amenities  and  other community  development  projects.  Financial  autonomy  is  host  by operation of Joint-Account by states and local governments.

(ii)  Bribery and Corruption

Bribery  and  corruption involving  the  officials of  the  local  governments undermine  the  effective  performance  of  the  local  government administration. Much money that  should  accrue to  local  governments is  lost  to  personal  pockets  through  the  use  of  fake  receipts  and inefficient collection mechanisms.

(iii)  Shortage of skilled personnel

There  is  acute  shortage  of  the  right  caliber  of  personnel  for  local government s. Local governments need competent  trained, experienced and competent personnel to provide an efficient and effective service to the public.

(iv)   Political Interference

State and Federal Governments unnecessarily hinder local government programmes and policies even  where  they  do  not  contradict  current statutes  or  policies.  In addition,  political  parties  interfere  with  the appointment of personnel-along party  lines in  local governments when their members are in power.

(v)  Poor Leadership

There   is   the   paucity   of   top   leadership   positions,  which   could coordinate  and  direct  the  departmental  heads.  Over  the  years,  there has been the problem of having competent leadership. Tribalism,  Nepotism  and  Favouritism.  These  feature  in  the appointment    promotion    and    discipline    and    transfer    of    local government  staff.  These constitute another  problem of  commitment to ethnic, sectional and partisan personal interests have made it difficulty and  sometimes  impossible.  For  many  local  government  authorities  to function effectively (Eneamya, 2009).

(vi)  Gradual Erosion of Power and autonomy.

Most  state  governments  have  taken  over  certain  services  of  the  local governments  by  excessive  control  of  local  government  activities.  The state  governments  established  Local  Government  activities.  The  State

Governments  established  Local  Government   service  commissions  to help them appoint promote, transfer and terminate employees. Beside, at  the  governments  there  is  office  of  Adviser  on  political  and  Local government matters. The State Houses of Assembly are  empowered  to  provide  for  the  establishment,  structure, composition, finance  and  functions of  such Local  Governments.  There is  also  provision  for  control  of  Local  Government  finance  by  State Houses  of  Assembly  (Constitution  of  1999,  chapter  and  sections  7  (i) and chapter 6  subsections 162  subsections  6  and 8). This has made Local  Government  appendages  of  State  Government,  hence  their under-performances and ineffectiveness (Ugwu, 2003:52).

(vii)  Partisan Politics and victimization

Elected counselors see  themselves  as  the  party’s  representative in  the council. Besides, where the political party control the chairmanship and councillorship position  in  the  Local  Governments,  there is  a  situation of  antagonism  and  non-cooperation,  stalling  or  showing  down  the Local Government programmes.

(viii)  Unequal size of Local government

The indiscriminate creation of Local Governments by Federal and State Governments has resulted  in  a  situation,  where  some  Local Governments are  large to effectively administer their whole area, while others  are  small  to  generate  revenue  to  undertake  meaningful programme.

(ix) Poor salaries and conditions of service. The conditions of service in the Local Governments are often very poor of the Local Governments to attract high quality personnel.

CONTROL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The  1999  Constitution  in  its  provisions  of  Section  7,  re organizes  the local  government  system  and  also  guarantees  it.   Besides,  the  State government  by  the  same  provision  of  Section  7  of  the  Constitution exercises  authority  over  the  local  government.      By  virtue  of  this provision,  every  State  government  is  to  ensure  the  existence  of democratically  elected  local  government  councils  under  a  law  which provides  for  their  establishment,  structure,  composition,  finance  and functions.   The implication of the above is that a local government council cannot exercise the functions allocated to it in the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution until the State House of Assembly had  passed  a  law,  which  empowers  the  local  government  councils  to perform  those  functions  listed  in  the  Fourth  Schedule  to  the Constitution. Local Governments are controlled through the following mechanisms:-

Legislature control.

Local  Governments are  established  by  an  act  of  parliament  or  decree stating  their  functions,  powers  and  limitations.  Their  operations  are guided  by  these  laws. Furthermore, the  legislature  could  amend these laws  or  investigate  the  performance  of  or  allegations  about  particular Local Governments.

Administrative control.

The  power  of  supervising  the  activities  of  Local  governments  is delegated  to  the  |Ministry  or  department  responsible  for  Local government .  The  department  is  empowered  to  approve  their  annual budgetary  estimates,  major  projects,  strategies of  implementation and bye-laws  before  they  take  effect.  There is also  internal  audit  that checks the accuracy according records within the councils. The  commissioner  of  Local  government  uses  default  power  to  control the  Local  government. 

Dissatisfied members of the public can seek  redress  through  the public  complaints  commission  where  their  rights  and  liberties  are violated  by  Local  government  employees.  The commission  could investigate the activities of such employees and recommend punitive or corrective measures.

Financial control

The  supervisory  department  is  empowered  to  approve  or  reject  Local government  budgetary  estimates.  They may  not  introduce  rates  or  levies,  implement  new  projects  or  obtain  internal  or  external  loans without approval by the Supervisory Ministry. The Executive council of a  State  may  exempt  any  persons  or  class  of  persons  within  a  Local governments  area  of  that  Stat e  from  liability  government  imposed  by the  Local  government  (Ezeani,  200:269).  State’s   auditor-general  audit the accounts of Local governments.

 

Judiciary control

Local  government s  are  legal  entities  which  can  sue  and  be  sued. Courts  can  call  Local  government  or  their  official  to  order  if  they breach  any  l aw  establishing  or  guiding  them.  The courts can  declare their actions illegal  or  unconstitutional if they  violate the provisions of the constitution.

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

To attract the skilled personnel required and protect career  Local Government officials  from

the buffetings of partisan politics, there  is the need to  ensure the  maximum utilization of  the

scarce high-calibre manpower resources available to Local Government.

STAFFING FUNCTION

The local  government  has  important  staffing  function  to  perform  (Guidelines  of  Local government reform, 1976:19):

1.   Ensuring  that  they  are  available  quantity  and  quality  staff   that  would  enable  them discharge their responsibilities;

2.   Laying down the terms and conditions of ser vice  for local government staff, so as to ensure that they are directly equated to those of the State Civil Service;

3.  Promote  local  gover nment  training  schemes  at  various  levels  for  administrative, financial, professional and technical staff in cooperation with training institutions and other government ministries.

RECRUITMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Each  Local  Government  shall  undertake  the  appointment,  discipline  and  promotion  of  its staff on Grade Levels 01-06 under general and unified guidelines to be provided by the Local Government  Service  Commission,  while  officers  on  Grade  levels  07  and  above  shall  be appointed, posted, disciplined and promoted  by  the Local Gover nment  Service  Commission, provided that all appointments shall be made to  unfrozen posts in the approved budget of the Local Government.

With respect to recruitment, appropriate pre-entry qualifications shall be uniformly applied as provided  in  the  approved  scheme  of  service  for  Local  Government  employees  whose provisions shall be STRICTLY applied.

In  carrying out recruitment  into the  Local Government  Service, the  Local Government  and Local Government Service Commission shall take full account of the geographical spread and socio-economic diversities of the Local Gover nment Area.

Each  Local  Government  shall  be  restructured  vertically  and  horizontally  to  management efficiency and effectiveness, high degree of specialization,  job satisfaction, optimum span of control and clear lines of authority and responsibility .

All  recruitments  by  the  Local  Government  Junior  Staff  Management  Committee  (JSMC) must, as  a  rule,  be  in  consonance  with  the  manpower  needs  of  the  Local  government  as provided in the approved Local Government Estimates. Any violation of the provision of the Section will  be  surcharged  and  the  person  so  irr egularly  appointed  be  summarily  removed from the service of the Local Government. All applicants for positions in Grade Levels 01-06 in a Local Government shall apply directly to the Local Government of their choice.      In    all    cases,    all    eligible    candidates     for appointments shall be interviewed by the Junior Staff Management Committee. All direct appointment to post on Grade Levels 07 and above be by open advertisement to the general public, and copies of such advertisements shall be sent to all the Local Governments within the State.

All letters  of  appointment  shall  be  signed  by  the  Head  of  the  Department  of  personnel Management in the case of posts graded 01-06, and by the Secretary of the Local Government Service Commission in the post on Grade Levels 07 and above.   Returns of all appointments made by  each  Local  Government  shall  be  rendered  monthly  to  the  Local  Government Services Commission.(Eneanya, 2012).

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT

Recruitment of  persons  into  vacation,  part-time  or  temporary  post  not  exceeding  three months shall be  decentralized.  Returns of all vacation,  part-time and temporary  appointment made shall be sent to the Local Government Service Commission monthly. Such returns shall show  the  name,  date  of  birth,  date  of  appointment,  grade,  qualifications  State  of  origin  .of employee  and  up- to-date,  intra-state  distribution  of existing  staff  in  the  grade  in  the  Local Government.

ACTING APPOINTMENT

Acting appointments, where necessary, shall be approved by the Chairman Local Government in  respect  of  local  Government  employees  on  Grade  Levels  01-06  and  relevant  returns rendered  to  the commission on  monthly  basis.  In  case of officers  on Grade  07 and  above, acting  appointment,  where  necessary,  shall be  approved  by  the  Local Government  Service Commission.

DISABLED PERSONS APPOINTMENT

All  Local Governments shall observe the  presidential order  which  grants disabled   persons special concessions in appointment to posts in the public service. All  returns  and  information  required  to  be  submitted  to  the  Local  Government  Service Commission shall be so submitted not later than the last day of the subsequent month.   Such returns  shall  be  accompanied  with  the  minutes  of  the  relevant  meeting  of  the  Junior  Staff Management Committee.

CONTRACT APPOINTMENT

The provision of the Local Government Staff Regulations shall apply in all cases to contract appointments, except in the  case of non-Nigerians married to Nigerians. Such Nigerians shall remain on contract until granted Nigerian citizenship. Where they are not eligible for Nigerian citizenship, then contract shall  be reviewed  every  two years and they shall be considered for promotion  along  with  their  colleagues  as  appropriate,  as  long  as  they  stay  married  to Nigerians.

Retired officers may only be re-engaged into career posts in accordance with the Rules and Regulations spelt out in the existing Local Government Staff Regulations.

JUNIOR STAFF RECRUITMENT

Each local government shall have Junior Staff  Management Committee (JSMC),  which will have responsibility for the appointment, promotion and  discipline of officers on grade levels 01-06.   In  all cases,  all eligible  candidates for  appointments  shall  be  interviewed  by Junior Staff Management Committee.  In all cases, the composition of JSMC shall: Reflect the geographical spread of the local government area;

The  JSMC  shall  consist  of  one  representative  from  each  department  of  local government  not  below  grade  level  09  and  shall  be  chaired  by  the  Head  of Department of Personnel Management in the local government.

The Committee  shall determine personnel  matters of local government  employee on grade levels 01-06.

All applicants for positions on grade levels 01-06 in a local government shall apply directly to the local government area of their choice.

SENIOR STAFF RECRUITMENT

The appointment, promotion and discipline of officers on Grade level 07 and above

shall be the responsibility of the local Government Service Commission;

The principle of geographical spread and socio- economic diversity of the state shall be take into full account;

All direct appointments to the post on Grade levels 07 and above shall be by open advertisement to the general public and copies of such advertisements shall be sent to all local governments within the state.

CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT

Confirmation of all probationary appointments shall be carried out by the Local Governments in  the  case  of  officers  on  Grade  levels  01-06  and  by  the  Local  Government  Service Commission in  the case of officers on Grade  Level 07 and above. The appropriate Heads of Department shall  make  recommendations  to  the  Head  of  the  Department  of  personnel management  for  consideration  of  the  Junior  Staff  Management  Committee  (JSMC).  The names  of  officers   so   confirmed  shall  be   submitted  on  a  monthly   basis   to   the  Local Government Service Commission for gazette action.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION

The Local Government Service Commission shall perform the following functions:

(a) Appoint, post, promote  and discipline  Local  Government  employees on  Grade  Level 07 and above. In doing so, the principle of geographical spread and socio-economic diversity of the  State  shall be taken into  full account. The guidelines for promotion shall be based on the generally accepted principle of experience,  performance  on  the  job,  length  of  ser vice,  good conduct, relevant  qualification,  training,  performance  at  interview  and  relevant  examination where appropriate;

(b)  set  up  general  uniform  guidelines,  for  appointment,  posting,  promotion  and  discipline;

(c)   Monitor   the  activities   of   each   Local   Government   on  appointment,  discipline   and promotion of    Local Gover nment employees on Grade 01-06, in order to ensure that the guidelines are strictly  and uniformly applied.

(d)  Serve  as  an  Appellate  body  for  all  petitions  from  Local  Governments  in  respect  of appointments.  promotions  and discipline;  the  decision of the Local Government  Service Commission shall be binding on all Local Governments and above shall have the right to appeal to the Governor

(e)  Maintain  comprehensive  and  up-to-date  seniority  lists  and  nominal  rolls  the   local Government Service as a whole;

(f) submit an annual report of its activities to

(i)  all Chairman of Local Government in the State

(ii)  the office of the State Governor, and

(iii)  the State House of Assembly

(g) Maintain a monthly Local Government gazette newsletter to convey, in particular

(i)   the bye-law passed by the Local Governments in the State and

(ii)   staff   movements   including   new   appointments,  confirmations,   promotions   and retirement/dismissal

( h)  Assures responsibility for manpower planning, development and training in the senior cadres (GL 07 and above) of the Local Government Service;

(i)  keeps  the  1%  Local  Government  Training  fund  for  the  training  of  members  of the Unified Staff

(j)        Restructure  and  strengthen  the  Department  and  thereafter,  periodically  review  and propose modifications in operational method and organizational structure of the Local Government Services.           .

(k)   The  Local  Government  Staff  Pension  Board  Office,  which  is  at  present  a  separate office, shall remain so. (Eneanya, 2012.

PROMOTION, TRANSFER, DISCIPLINE AND RETIREMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

A promotion is a move of an employee to  a  job  within  the organization which has  greater

importance and usually higher pay.  Frequently the job has higher status and carries improved

fringe benefits and privileges.  Its purpose is to improve both the utilization and motivation of

employees.   A   Transfer   connotes   a   move    to   a   job   within   the    organisation   which   has approximately equal importance, status  and  pay.  Discipline is employed in organizations to

correct misconduct or deviant behavior to rules and regulations.  Retirement of employees

is based on age attainment of 60 years or 35 years of service, whichever comes first

STAFF PERFORMANCE AND PROMOTION

Rewards and sanctions shall be based  on concrete  measurable  performance.  All promotions shall be based on relative merit (performance, seniority, additional qualifications, and so on). Local Government shall have power to promote and give advancements to all staff on Grade- Levels G 1 -06 subjected to the following guidelines:

The  Head  of  the  Department  of Personnel  Management  shall  prepare,  at  the  end  of every year, comprehensive staff list showing the order of seniority of a Staff in each grade on Grade Levels 01-06, while the Secretary to the Local Government Service Commission shall prepare same in respect of officers on Grade Levels 07 and above within each cadre. Seniority shall be based on the provisions of the existing rules. All officers  who  fall  within  the  field  of  selection  for  any  promotion  exercise  shall  be considered  except  those who  are under disciplinary action.  The minimum  number  of  years that an officer must spend in a post before being considered eligible to come within the  field of selection for promotion shall be as follows:

Grade Levels of Staff Number of years in post

01-06  Minimum of 2 (two) years

07-14  Minimum of 3 (three) years

.15-16-  Minimum of 4 (four) years

All Local Governments and Local Government Service Commissions shall take into account APER (Annual Per for mance Evaluation Report) of  each officer for the last 3  years  in the service.  Each APER  shall  be  summarized  and  the  equivalent  marks  shall  be  confirmed  or vetted by the moderating officers and shall be shown on the APER form. Staff on  Grade  Levels  07  and  above  who  are  being  considered  for promotion must  appear before  the  Local  Government  Service  Commission  for  promotion  interview.  In the case  of officers entering into the Senior Management Grade at Grade Level 14, they must in addition, pass  proficiency  examination or  undergo  prescribed  course.  There shall  also  be  promotion examination for promotion from Grade levels 06-07. However, where the Grade level 06 post in training post, then advancement  from Grade  Level  06-07  shall  be  based  on  APER  score only

In the case of officers in the professional cadres moving from Grade Level 08 to grade Level 09, where the promotions are not subjected to vacancies, each such officer shall be   required to pass suitable advancement test while on grade level 08.   In the alternative, their promotion

may be based on prescribed courses. The criteria for promotion shall be:

(i)  basic qualification

(ii)  performance (as assessed under APER)

(iii)  interview performance;

(iv)  Additional qualification/cognate experience and

(v)  Seniority

The criteria shall normally be weight as follows:

Percentage

Performance ------------------------ -------------------------------  50

Interview ------------------------------------------------------------- 30

Additional Qualification/Examination  -------------------------15

Seniority --------------------------------------------------------------- 5

Where additional  qualification  examination  is  not  an  applicant  criteria,  then  the  weight assigned  to  performance shall be  increased by 15.  Similarly, in cases where interview is not applicable, the weight for performance shall be increases by 30 Local Government qualification shall render all promotion exercises carried out to the Local Government  Service  Commission. 

All  briefs  used  at  such  meeting  and  the  minutes  of  the meeting  must  accompany  the  returns  in  respect  of  posts  graded  on  Grade  Levels  01-06.

Returns shall reach the Commission not later than two weeks from the date of conclusion of the promotion exercise.

National promotion

:- officers on  leave of absence, on secondment, on approval study leave or on special assignment, who  fail within  the  promotion  field of selection, shall be granted, national promotion, if they are worth of promotion,

Effective Date of promotion

;- The effective date  of promotion shall be either January 1, or July  1, and  promotions  shall not  normally have retroactive effect.  Every exercise  shall  be completed the 31st of each year.

STAFF TRANSFER

All  transfer  shall  be  subject  to  prescribed  conditions  for  appointment  in  addition  to  the

following considerations:

No officer shall be considered  for transfer-on-promotion or  otherwise  to any Local Government or the Unified Local Government Service except to an advertised post. Applications for transfer of service shall be made to the Local Government,  in case of posts graded  01-06 and  to  the Local Government  service  Commission  in  case of posts graded 07 and above, and submitted in duplicate supported by the following documents:

(A)      Evidence of  qualifications

(B)  Satisfactory APER  for  the  2  years  immediately  preceding  the  date  of  the application

(C)  Officer's  Record  of  service  showing  clearly,  the  career  progression  of   the applicant, and

(D)  Recommendation from the applicant's employer, including a statement that the officer will be released if the application is successful.

An officer  may  only be considered  for  transfer  if  he  has  grade  to  which  he seeks qualifications, experience and career progression are:

(i)  comparable to those of officers already in the grade to which he seeks transfer; or

(ii)  superior to those of officers  already in the grade just  below that  to  which he seeks to be transferred.

Where the number of vacancies is  limited,  extra care must  be taken to ensure contemplated transfer would in no way jeopardize prospects of officers already in the service.

INTER-SERVICE TRANSFER OF STAFF

In considering  inter-service  transfer,  the  Local  Government-Service  Commission  must  be satisfied  that  there  are  vacancies  not  only  in  the  relevant  grade  but  also  in  the  applicant's discipline or area of specialization. Once an officer on transfer has agreed to accept an offer of a position, and the position is lower than that for  which he initially applied, he shall not, after assumption of duty, petition of upgrading or review on account of comparison with his erstwhile colleagues.

TRANSFER  FROM  ONE  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  TO  ANOTHER  LOCAL

GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE STATE

This shall be  channeled  through  the  Local Government  Service  commission  subtract  to the availability  of  vacancy  and  the  overall  suitability  of the  officer  seeking transfer  of  service. This provision shall apply only to officers on Grade Level 01-06

TRANSFER FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ONE STATE TO A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ANOTHER STATE.

This shall be channeled through the Local Government Service Commission. Transfer from outside the Local Government Service, for example, where an officer from the federal  or  State  Civil Service  or  from a  Federal  or  State  Government  Parastatal  is  seeking transfer to the Local Government Service shall be channeled through the Local Gover nment Service Commission.

SECONDMENT

The initiative for the secondment of civil servants to the Local Government service shall be taken by a Local Government through the Local Government Service Commission. At the time of such secondment, the terms of secondment shall be clear ly stated and accepted by all the parties concerned.  Such secondment shall not exceed two years in the first instance and not subject to renewal if all the parties agree.

RIGHT OF APPEAL

An  officer  who  is  dissatisfied  or  aggrieved  as  a  result  of  any  decision  of  the  Junior  Staff  Management Committee or the Local Government Service Commission shall have the right of appeal.  Appeal against the  decisions of the  Junior Staff Management  Committee shall  lie  to the  Chairman  of  the  Local  Government  and  hereafter  to  the  Local  Government  Service Commission. Appeal  against  the  decision  of  the  Local  Government  Service  Commission  lie  to  the Commission for a review. After all the internal avenues for redress or been exhausted, and the petitions to the Governor shall be forwarded of the officer concerned through the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission to the Governor, and an advance copy shall be sent to the Government.

DISCIPLINE

Local Government shall exercise disciplinary power over their staff on Grade level 01- 06 and the level  Government  service  commission  on  Local  government  Service  Commission  on Local Government employees on Grade Levels 07 and above. Local  Returns  of  disciplinary  cases  indicating  names  of  officers  grade,  date  of  present appointment, nature of offence and nature of disciplinary action taken, shall be rendered to the local Government Service Commission within two weeks of the decision.

As a further check, the Local Government Service Commission may call for the records used by the  Junior Staff Management  Committee  to  satisfy itself that justice  has been manifestly done.

RETIREMENT

When an employee attains the age of 60 years or 35 years of ser vice, he/she is retired from service.  Such employee is paid retirement benefits, made up of pension and gratuity.  The pension follows the provision of Pension Act of 2004. Under  the  2004  Act,  an  employee  is  required  to  maintain  an  account  to  be   known  as Retirement Savings Account (RSA) in his/her name and with any Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) of his/her choice.  At the end of his disengagement, the Pension Fund  Administrator that managed his/her account pays the Pension, while the local government pays the gratuity, if  it  is  part  of  the  disengagement  reward.  However, an employee   is   forbidden  from withdrawing  from the account until  he attains the age of 50  years,  except  he/she  retires  on health grounds  or  for any other  reason  in  accordance  with the  terms and conditions  of  his employment.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

Training has the dual function of utilization and motivation.  By improving employees’  ability to perform and the tasks required by the company, training allows better use to be made of human resources.

TRAINING PROGRAMME

The Local  Government  Service  Commission  shall  maintain  1%  local  government  training fund  for the training of members of  the unified staff.

Training  provisions are made at an early stage of an officers career; mid-career training to equip officers  to  undertake  supervisory  or  middle  management responsibility;  and  training  for  officers  with  several  or  many  years  of

experience  to  enable  them  to  successfully  discharge  the  duties  of higher level managerial posts. Some of the courses may be regarded as falling  within  the  “mainstream”  of  the  training  programme  and  these will  normally  be  of  a  fairly  long  duration.  Others will  need  to  be  of  a shorter period and should include programmes either of a motivational nature  or  designed  to  give  managerial  training  to  professional  and technical officers. There should also be specialist courses for officers in their mid-career, relating to  particular spheres of work, for example in professional/technical  subjects  areas  or  in  management/supervisory techniques. Many of such lectures are to  give  participants a good  knowledge of  modern  procedures,  recent  developments,  and  innovative  methods, etc.   Broadly,   speaking,   there   should   be   two   objectives   in   a   local government training programmes, viz:-

a.  To   ensure   that   the   day   to   day   operations, routines   and procedures of  local  governments  can  be  effectively  undertaken and properly understood by the staff.

b. To  provide  training  to  the  level  which  is  necessary  to  equip  the staff  to  meet  the  more  extensive  and  ever  growing  management administrative , financial and service problem of the future.

TYPES OF TRAINING

ON – THE – JOB TRAINING

An essential element  in  many  scheme of  staff  development is  training “on-the-job”. This t raining technique is demanding in terms of the time of  the  supervisor  and  sectorial  He ad  as  well  as  that,  at  times  of  the Departmental  Head.  It  is  expected  that  in  every  local  government,  a great  effort  should  be  made  to  make  at  least  a  small  start  with  the most essential “on- the- job” progrmames. The  seminar  or  group  discussion  approach  is  a  type  of  on-the-job training,  which  the  secretary  should  find  very  useful  in  his  efforts  to improve  the  effectiveness  and  efficiency  of  local  governments organization.   Such programmes could  be mounted on a  regular  basis and  as  frequently  as  the  work  situation  permits.  The  seminars  could cover the special requirements of various categories of officers:-

a.  Senior Management Staff

b. Middle Management Staff

c.  Professional and/or Technical Staff

d. Supervisory Staff

e.  Junior Staff

From time to time joint seminars might also be held, attended by staff of two  or  more  of  the  categories  of  officers  indicated  above,    for example,  supervisory  and  junior  staff;  or  middle  management, professional  technical  and  supervisory  staff;  or  senior  management, middle  management  and  professional/technical  staff.  The  seminar should  consider  papers  prepared  mainly  by  staff  members  of  the organization.

TRAINING OFF – THE JOB

A  significant  part  of  the  total  training  needs  of  local  governments are met  by   specialized  training   institutions.  Some   of   the  specialized training  institutions  offer   seminar  programmes  appropriate  to  the needs  of  local  government  official.    Some  training  programmes  are offered  in  universities,  such  as  u niversity  of  Ife,  Ahmadu  Bello University,  Zaria  and  Kaduna  Polyte chnic.  Some  of  the  programmes have nine months duration and are as follows:

i.  Certificate in local government

ii.  Diploma in local government

iii. Higher diploma in local government

iv. Advanced diploma in local government

THE ROLE OF TRAINING OFFICER

On  all  local  governments,  more  especially  the  lar gest  ones,  it  will  be important  to  the  success  of  staff  development  programmes  that consideration should be  given to the appointment of  a  training officer. This  officer  who  would  be  directly responsible  to  the  secretary  should be  of  considerable  seniority  and  normally  would  combine  his  training responsibilities with other duties, including those relating to  personnel matters. The duties of the training officer would probably include:-

i.  Drafting   of   the   staff   development   policy   for   review   by   the secretary  and  approval  by  the  local  government  council, periodic  review  of  the  relevance  and  effectiveness  of  the  staff development  policy  and  submission  of  his  findings  and recommendations arising there from to the secretary.

ii.  Maintenance  of  appropriate  records  concerning,  inter  alia,  the prescribed  training  courses  to  be  attended  by  individual officers  and  the  appropriate  objectives  and  level  of  them,  the period  during  which  the  individual  officers  after  proper nomination  have  actually  attended  courses,  the  results obtained and the  subsequent work performance of the officers concerned;

iii. Maintenance  of  very   close  contact  and  cooperation  with   the ministry of  local  government  concerning all  staff  development matters and  frequent exchanged of  information regarding  new or  changing  requirements  in  this  field  and  on  progress, problems, constraints, etc; in  regard  to  the implementation of approved staff development programmes.

iv. Mounting of approved training seminars in the local government organization and arranging “on-the-job” training programmes.

v.  Submission   to   the   secret ary   of   regular   progress   reports concerning  the  implementation  of  staff  development programme

vi. Submission of recommendations to the secretary concerning staff development matters;

vii.    Consideration  of  any  proposal  e manating  from  members  of staff  of  the  local  government  for  the  improvement  of  the  staff development policy or staff development programmes.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

For  a  balanced  staff  development  programme  (which  should  be  an import ant objective of staff  development  policy),  the  secretary  working in close cooperation with the ministry of local government will need to have regard to several aspects of the problem. First, in order to ensure that   a  sound  basis  exists  or  can  be  built  and  to  enable  newly appointed officers to play a useful role at an early stage in their career, considerable  emphasis  will  need  to  be  placed  on  induction  training such  training  would  probably  l ast  for  2  –  3  days  and  be  specifically tailored to meet the requirements of each category of officer.

INDUCTION COURSES OR PROGRAMME

Induction courses would probably need to include:

i.   A study of the organization including its objectives, programmes, projects, staffing etc;

ii.  A  consideration of the relationship between the local government and  the  various  ministries  and  department  of  the  state  and federal governments;

iii. One  seminar  each  on  the  subject areas  of  motivation, discipline and effective communication. In this regard, it is of the utmost importance  to  endeavour  to  motivate  staff  as  strongly  as possible  at  the  outset  of  their  career  in  the  direction,  for example,  of  achieving  objectives,  meeting  target  dates  for programmes and projects, effective management of time;

iv. An examination of the specific work areas of the trainees and the main  responsibilities  constraints,  problems  etc;  facing  them.

There is need, therefore, for a new employee to be inducted as early as possible  after  being  deployed.  Otherwise,  the  new  employee may  drift into a bad working habits because he has not been properly informed, and may carry out his duties in an unsatisfactory manner. It  is  obvious  that  a  carefully  planned  approach  to  meeting  personnel

requirements is  recommended involving first the preparation of a state manpower  plan  for  local  government  and  subsequently,  a  systematic programme  of  recruitment  within  the  plan,  by  the  Local  Government Service  Commission.  It  will  be  important that  every  effort  be  made  to streamline  the  decision  making  process  in  relation  to  recruitment matters.

Staff in  post  in  local  governments  should  be  progressively  trained under a  carefully  framed  staff  development policy  drawn  up  jointly by the  ministry  for  local  government  and  the  local  government.  Training programmes should be  such  as  to  cover the  needs  of  all  departments and all  categories of officers from the  lowest levels up  to the secretary to  the  local  government.  Further, the  staff  development  programmes should  meet  the  need  of  officers  at  all  stages  in  their  careers  and should  comprise  of  both  institutional  courses  and  various  forms  of “on-the-job”  training.  These  programmes  would  lead  to  significant improvement on the work performance.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

Industrial Relation is a consultative stage of the public personnel process.  It is a tripartite relationship  between  employers,  trade  union  (workers)  and  the  gover nment.      Labour relation centres  on  the  employer  and  employees  in  the  negotiations  process,  while  the government  provides  supervisor y  role.      Government’s  role  in  industrial  relation  is  to provide  enabling environment  for the practice of  industrial relations.   Industrial  relation practice requires conformity to rules and regulations.  It is the responsibility of the human resources department to manage industrial conflict at work.

MEANING OF CONFLICT

Conflict  refers  to  the  act  of  mutual interference  of  opposing  interests, ideas  or  act  of  discord  of  two  or  groups  of  individuals  over  issues. When there is conflict, it implies that there is a dispute. It implies that there is  a dispute, a struggle against  something by  persons expressing opposing views or claims (Ugwu, 2000: 148).

SOURCES OF CONFLICT

In the  local government system,  there are  several sources of  conflicts. The  following  are  sources  of  possible  conflicts:  demand  for  regular payment   of   salaries   and   wages,   political   intrigues   on   revenue  allocation,  intra-local  government  crisis, and  management  and  labour relations crisis.

IRREGULAR PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND WAGES

In  the  local  government  system  as  in  most  organization,  human groupings make up all work activities.  Local government workers often demand  for  improved  conditions  of  services.  They  often  complain  of

poor  salaries  and  wages,  while  the  management  of  local  government councils could not  meet up  with  these  demands. This often  results  in conflict resulting in strikes by workers.

INTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

Conflicts  can  also  arise  between  councilors and  the  chairmen  of  local government . Causes of these conflicts may be as a result of favouritism or  marginalization  in  decision-making,  inequity  remuneration  of

political   office   holders.     Conflict   may   also   arise   as   a   result   of unhealthy rivalry or power tussle over implementation of some policies and programmes.

LACK OF GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

In  local  government  system,  grievances  among  individuals  cannot  be under-estimated.  In  management  –  labour  relations,  lack  of communication over  issues and absence of effective organization frame works  to  handle  grievances  bring  about  conflicts.  Once  there  is  no trust and information is often distorted, there is bound to be conflict.

POLITICALLY- MOTIVATED CONFLICT

There is often the problem of allocation of fund between state and local government  councils.  Sometimes,  fund  allocate d  to  local  government councils  are  diverted  by  state  government  to  other  projects  or  not

released   to   the   councils   concerned,   especially   if   the   council   is controlled  by  opposition  political  party.  This  action  often  leave  the councils with poor  financial based leading to conflicts. Sometimes, the Federal   government   can   also   withhold   funds   meant   to   local government  councils  for  political  reasons  as  was  witnessed  between the   federal   government   and   Lagos   states   government   during Obasanjo’s regime (2003 – 2007).

MANAGEMENT – LABOUR REL ATED CONFLICT

Conflicts  can  arise  if  the  collective  interests  of  the  workers  are neglected.  Certain  issues  that  affect  the  career  of  local  government workers could bring about conflicts. Issues such as lack of  promotion, poor  remuneration  and  conditions  of  service  could  trigger  conflicts between the local government union and local government councils.

ROLE CONFLICT

Structural weakness by not specifying the role of various political office holders on  one  hand and  that of  the career office holders on the other could trig ger off conflicts.

CONSTITUTIONALLY – RELATED CONFLICT

The  Constitution of  1999  has  abnormalities  in  its  provisions  on  local government  councils.  The  provisions  in  the  constitution  could  not make  clear  whether it  is  the  National  Assembly  that  is  to create  local government councils or the State House of Assembly. This has brought about  conflict  between  Lagos  State  government  and  the  Federal Government  over  creation  of  additional  local  government  council, leading to non-release of funds meant for local government councils.

Moreover,  the  constitution  has  failed  to  streamline  the  role  of accounting  officer  in  the  local  g overnment.  Finally,  the  state government s  have  overwhelming  powers  over  local  governments  and

this often lead to dissolution of councils by state governor at will.

MACHINERY  FOR  MANAGING  CONFLICT  IN  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

It is the responsibility of the personnel management department to establish the machinery for negotiation  and  joint  consultancy.    This  would  involve  setting  up  a  good  communication system between management and the representatives of organized labour.

At  the  National  level,  Nigerian  Labour  Congress  (NLC)  for  junior  staff    and  Trade  Union

Congress (TUC) for senior staff , Employers’  Association and Government consult on wages and salaries  of workers.  However,  negotiation often  takes  place  between  National Union of Local   Government   Employees,( NULGE),   Employers’   Association   and   Government   for service  to be in parity with that  of civil service.   Issues of a general character affecting the whole service are dealt with in the Unified Negotiating Machinery.   This machinery is used for negotiation and consultation.

At the shop floor, the  consultation and communication that follow are the responsibilities of the  Head of Personnel  management  Department at  the  local  government  level and National Union  of  Local  Government  Employees  (NULGE)  official  in  each  local  unit.       Prior to meeting the  personnel  manager,  NULGE  officials  summon  all  staff  of  local  government meetings intermittently to appraise the policies or decisions as they affect their welfare.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION OR MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Individual grievances

Collective grievance machinery

INDIVIDUAL GRIEVANCES PROCEDURE

Any officer who is  dissatisfied  or  aggrieved  as  a  result  of any decision of  the  Junior  Staff Management Committee shall have the right of appeal.   Appeals against the decisions of the Junior Staff Management Committee shall lie in the fir st instance to the chairman of the local government. Such petitions shall be forwarded by the officer through the Head of Personnel Manangement Department together  with  briefs,  minutes  and  comments  of  the  relevant  Junior  Staff Management Committee’s meeting  as well as comments of Head of Personnel Management within  two  weeks  of  receipt.  The decision  of  the  chairman  on  the  petition  shall  be communicated to the officer concerned within two weeks of the receipt of the petitions.

Appeals against  the  decision  of  the  chairman  shall  lie  to  the  Local  Government  Service Commission.  All such petitions to the commission, together with meeting of the Junior Staff Management Committee,  the   comments  of  the   Head  of  the   Department  of   Personnel Management, as well as the chairman’ s decision and whatever other comments the chairman may  wish  to  make on the petition  within two  weeks of receipt.   And  advance  copy  of the petition shall be sent by the petitioner to the commission.  The decision of the commission on such petitions shall be binding on all concerned.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Local government and labour  often embark  on  collective bargaining to address  collective  issues  affecting  the  workers.        The  National Association  of  Local  Government  employees(NULGE) often  engage  the local  government  councils  t o  negotiate  on  issues  that  could  lead  to conflict .

 

JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

Usually  committees  are  set  up  comprising  all  opinion  leaders  and experts to exchange ideas,  informat ion  and make  suggestions  for  the .mutual  interest  of  management  and  the  workers.  Joint  Consultative

Committee  could  be  set  up  to  negotiate  on  issues  concerning  staff general welfare, staff hours of work, programmes and projects and so on. Such consultation should be regular to bridge communication gap that could result to conflict .

In other words, issues of a general character affecting This machinery the whole  service are dealt in  established Unified Negotiating Machinery. is  used  for  negotiation  and  consultation.      Disagreement  arising  out  of  the negotiation  can  be  referred  to  the  Minister  of  Labour  and  Productivity,  who appoints a Conciliator.   If no agreement is reached, the minister  will  refer  the dispute to  Industrial  Arbitration Panel (AIP)  and  finally  to  National Industrial Court (NIC).  NIC is the final authority for settling such trade disputes.

INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND  LOCAL GOVERNMENT  ADMINISTRATION

 THEORIES AND IDEOLOGY OF FEDERALISM

Federalism  is  a  device  for  dividing  decisions and  functions  of government.  It  contrasts  with  unitary  system  where  there  is  one predominant  central  government  that  assumes  full  power  and responsibility  for  all  government  functions  but  may  delegate  some  of its  powers  to  the  local  authority.  Federalism  is  different  form  political and  fiscal.  Whereas,  political  federalism  deals  with  the  allocation, usually  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  constitution, of  powers and authority  to  tiers  of  government,  fiscal  federalism,  on  the  other  hand, is    essentially   about   the   allocation   of   government    spending    and resource   to   tiers   of   government   (Oates,   1972:   16   –   20;   Asobie, 1998:15).   

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES OF DECENTRALIZATION

It   is    helpful   at   this   point    to   examine    some    of   the   theoretical perspectives  that  have  been  used  by  experts  in  the  field  to  analyze explain  and  predict  inter-governmental  events.  However,  it  will  be helpful to define what is  meant by  theory. A theory  is a coherent set  of statements  describing  and  explaining  the  relationships and underlying principles  of  some  aspect  of  the  world.  A  useful  (although  somewhat oversimplified  distinction  may  be  made  between  two  kinds  of  theory:

normative  theory,  which  offers  explanations  and  predictions  for  how some part of the world actually is or ought to be. And  empirical  theory,  which  offers  explanations  and  predictions  for how some  part  of the  world,  actually is or  will  be. These  two  types  are directed  at  quite  different  goals.  However  in  the  field  of intergovernmental  relations  efforts  to  explain  an  inter-governmental system are  simultaneously bound up with attempts to  persuade  others that certain forms of intergovernmental relations are preferable.

In  other  words,  many  intergovernmental  theories  have  been  both normative and empirical.

FEDERALIST SCHOOL

Moreover,  federalism  is  seen  either  as  alliance  or  decentralization (Gibson,  2004:  4  –  6).  The  Alliance  or  federalist  school  argues  that federalism  allows  for  the  surrender  of  power  to  the  centre  and  gives allowance  for  self-government.  In  other  words,  inherent  in  the  federal armament  is  generalized rule and particularistic rule. Federalist school is  concerned  with  the  combination  of  “ self-rule  and  shared  rule”.   The logic is  that a  process  of  “defederation”  begins when the  centre  gets  so powerful   to   the   extent   that   it    erodes   the   powers   of   the   other component  units  of  the  federation  to  run  its  own  affairs  within  the constitutionally  quarantined  him  it,  without  reference  to  the  central authority. This types of federation is seen as alliance.

DECENTRALIZATION SCHOOL

Decentralization  school  view  federalism  as  entailing  power  devolution to different geographical  levels within a  nation. This  school  argues  that mere  decentralization  of  power  is  more  important  to  whether  it  is  a “particular  political  or  constitutional  order”.  Thus,  federalism  allows for  a  great  degree  of  decentralization.  The  logical  is  that  political exigencies  might  make  federalism desirable  but  power  calculation  and domination  may  make  decentralization  the  empirical  reality  of  powers organization.

Two  major  schools  of thought  discussed above view  federalism  in  two  perspectives.  The  first  school,  the federalist school  is  concerned  with the  principle of  self-rule and shared rule”.  The  school  views  federalism  as  an  alliance.  On  the  other  hand, decentralization school  argues  that  federalism  entails power devolution to  different  geographical  levels  within  a  nation.  However,  in  practice federalism  is  a  mixture  of  centralization  and  decentralization.  Every nation   embraces   a   creative   proportionality   of   centralization   and popular  of  the  ideological arguments  in  favour  of  federalism. Freedom is  the  right  to  make  rules  as  one  chooses.  Rules  in  turn  impose constraints  on  all  those  who   would  not   by  preference  have  made exactly  those  rules.  The  ideal  of  freedom  is  then  to  minimize  the external  costs  suffered by  some  persons  in  the  society.  In  aristocratic society one  minimizes  the  external  costs  of  the  well –  born;  but  in  the equalitarian  society  of  today,  presumably  one  minimizes  the  external costs  of  some  representative  citizen’s  chosen   at  random  from  the whole.  The  best  way  to  minimize  costs  for  such  a  citizen  is  to  have policing made by the  largest relevant unit  of government. For all issues of  national  concern,  then,  maximum, freedom  is  attained  when  policy is  made  nationally.  Conversely,  for  all  issues  of  local  concern, maximum  freedom  is  attained  when  policy  is  made  locally.  So  the claim  by  ideologists of  federalism that  the system strengthens  freedom is thus false. Indeed federalism weakens freedom.

Federalism  allows  for  the  surrender  of  power  to  the  centre  while allowing  self-governments.  Given  human  nature,  power  serves  as instrument  of  state  craft.  Those  with  power  allow  different  centres  of power  to  perform  certain  responsibilities  in  order  to  accommodate heterogeneous  nature  of  the  state.  Inherent  of  such  constitutional arrangement is to make way for nation-building.

Beyond   the   potentials    for   managing    diversities   and   conflictual relations,  there is  also  an economic  imperative of  federalism.  This  calls for  the  decentralization  of  decisions-making  and  the  distribution  of state  powers  between  governmental  levels.  Necessitating this  is  the different  nature  of  public  goods,  which  warrants  the  handling  of  their production and distribution in multidimensional ways.

A  concurrence  to  the  conceptualization  and  theories  is  the  idea  of federalism  as  a  national  polity  with  dual  or  multiple  level  of government,  exercising  exclusive  authority  over  constitutionally determined  policy  areas, but  in  which  only  one  level  of  government  – the  central  government  is  sovereign  before  international  communities (Gibson, 2004).

In  general,  therefore  in  any  federal  system,  but  especially  in asymmetrical  ones,  like  Nigeria  or  United  States,  federalism  weakens freedoms. So,  the  claim of the  ideologists of  federalism that  the  system

strengthens   freedom   is   thus   false.   Indeed,   federalism   weakens freedom,  as  in the  case  of  Local  government  administration in  Nigeria, where they lack autonomy.

MODELS OF FEDERALISM AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

In  inter-government  relations, it  is important  we  examine  how a  group of  states  are  bound  into  a  larger,  non-centralized  and  superior  state. The  inter-governmental  relations  may  be  classified  into  three

conceptual  models.  We  can  formulate  some  simplified  models  of authority  relationships among  national, state  and  local  jurisdiction.   

There  are  three models that  express visually  the three generic  types  of authority  relationship  that  can  exist  between  political entities  namely: coordinate – Authority model; inclusive authority model. (Wright 1985:

58  –  65)  and overlapping  –  Authority  model.  Each  model  concentrates  on the  essential  features  of  a  possible  Intergovernmental  Relation arrangement  and  guides  us  in  formulating  hypotheses.  Testing  these hypotheses   we   can    discover   which   model    best    fits  the  political system being operated (Wright, 1985:59):

THE COORDINATE – AUTHORITY MODEL

 In   the   coordinate-authority    model   of   Intergovernmental   Relation, sharp,  distinct boundaries  separate the  national government  and  state governments.  Local  units,  however,  are  included  within  and  are dependent on state governments. The  most  classic  expression  of  state/local  relations  is  Dillon’s  Rule, which summarizes the power  relationship between the  states and  their localities quoted in (Otole, 1985:58):

1.  There is no common-law right of local self-government.

2.  Local  entities  are  creatures  of  the  state  subject  to  creation  and abolition  at  the  unfettered  discretion  of  the  state  (barring constitutional limitations)

3.  Localities may exercise only those power expressly granted.

4.  Localities are “mere tenants at the will of the legislature.

This,  coordinate  –  authority  model,  therefore,  implies  that  the  two  types  of entities are independent and autonomous.  They are linked only tangentially.

However, when the  respective  spheres  of action  put  the  national  government and the state in conflict, they ceased to  be tangential and clashed directly. In such   case,   the   Supreme   Court   becomes    the   arbiter   of    national/state relations.

 

 

THE INCLUSIVE – AUTHORITY MODEL

Two strategies are possible. One, reduce  the  various  powers  of  either  the  states  or  localities  or

both; or Two,   enlarge   the   national   government’ s   circle   with   or   without enlarging the state and/or local circles. Both  strategies  can  be  understood  by  means  of  game  theory:  a systematic way of studying behavior in decision making situations. The  theory  assumes  that  all  participants  strive  to  optimize  their

behaviour  –  each  trying  to  maximize  gains  and  minimize losses within the  limits  of  allowed  behavior  (hence  the  analogy  with  games).  The outcome  is  seen  to  depend  not  only  on  the  behavior  of  any  one participant but on the responses of other participants as well. In  the  first strategy, is  the  classic  case  of  a  three  –  person, zero –  sum game? The sum of the player’s winnings equals the sum  of their losing. An illustration of  this in the Intergovernmental Relation  contexts  is  the usury case in USA  and the legislation requiring state and local units to meet  minimum  wage  and  maximum  hour  requirements.  The  national government  attempted to  exercise (expand)  its power  at  the  expense  of state/local  powers.  The  gain  in  national  power  equaled  the  power  or discretion  lost  by  state  and  local  units.  Thus,  the  national  gains equaled state/local losses.

 

In  game  theory,  the  second  strategy  is  called  a  “non-constant  -  sum game.  All  participants  in  this  type  of  game  can  “win”  or  make  gains. Perhaps  the  best  Intergovernmental  Relation  illustration of  the  second strategy  is  fiscal:  the  conditional  grant  –  in  –  aid.  The  national  sector can  expand  by  raising  more  money  to  offer  and  grants  to  states  and local  governments.  The  funds  can  be  offered  with  conditions  (“losses”) imposed  on the  recipients. But the benefits  (winnings) are  so  attractive that  they  appear  to  outweigh  the  attached  constraints.  From  these examples  of  the  two  strategies,  we  would  expect  national Intergovernmental   Relation   policies   to   lean   far   more   toward   the strategy  –  such  as  grants  in  aid.  The  strategy  assume  that  the  total resources (“winnings”) can be expanded.

However,  the  inclusive  –  authority  model  serves  other  uses  besides allowing  predictions  of  Intergovernmental  Relation  policies.  The  model also  conveys  the  essential  hierarchical  nature  of  authority.  The dependency  relationships  imply  powers  patterns  that  are  similar  to Dillon’s  rule  for  state/local  relations.  That  is,  states  and  localities would  be  mere  minions  of  the  national  government  with  insignificant or  incidental  impact  on  American  politics  and  public  policy.  To  the question  of  who governs,  this  model provides an  unequivocal answer  – the national government.

THE OVERLAPPING – AUTHORITY MODEL

The    overlapping   –    Authority    Model    of    Intergovernmental    Relation comes  from  the  early  1970s  and  from  efforts  by  the  Nixon administration  to  innovate  and  decentralized  decision  –  Making  in categorical grant – in – aid programmes (Wright, 1985:59):

The overlay among the circles conveys three  characteristics features of the model:

1.  Substantial   areas   of  governmental   operations  involves  national,

state and local units (or officials) simultaneously;

2.  The  areas  of  autonomy  or  single-jurisdiction independence  and  full

discretion are comparatively small;

3.  The  power and  influence  available to anyone jurisdiction (or official)

is  substantially  limited.  The  limits  produce  an  authority  pattern best described as bargaining.

Bargaining is used in common dictionary sense of “negotiating  the terms of a sale,  exchange,  or  agreement”.   In  the  Intergovernmental  Relation  context, sale  is  far  less  relevant  than  exchange  or  agreement.  For  example,  the national government  offers more than  1000 assistance programmes  to  states and  localities  in  exchange  for  their  agreement  to  implement  a  programme; carryout a  project, or  pursue  anyone of a wide variety of activities. Of-course, as  part  of  the  bargain,  the  recipient  of  assistance  must  usually  agree  to conditions,  such  as;  the  providing  of  matching  funds  and  the  satisfaction  of accounting, reporting, auditing and performance requirements.

In sum, the chief characteristics of the overlapping – authority models are:

Limited, dispersed power,

Interdependence,

Limited areas of autonomy,

Bargaining – exchange relationships,

Cooperation and competition,

Also, contacts and  exchanges  between  national,  state,  and  local  officials  may  be cooperative  or  competitive;  the  determining  factors  include:  the  policy  issue or  problem,  the  status  of  the  officials,  the  partisan  leanings  of  participants, and the constituency being represented.

 

 

 

FISCAL RELATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

In  most federal countries, there exists a strong centre, while preserving the  diversity reflected  in  individual states. In  Nigeria, federal and  state governments  exist  side  by  side,  with each  possessing  certain  assigned functions.  In  federal  systems,  devolution  of  power  between  the  central  and component  units  is  to  design  issues  that  concern  the  federal  and others  of  common  interest.  Presently,  Nigeria  is  highly  centralized  as the   central  government   had   enormous  powers  conferred   on  it  by section  4,  sub-section  5  of  1999  constitution.  By  this,  the  federal government  is  constitutionally  granted  two  sets  of  legislative  powers, namely:  those  contained  in  the  exclusive  list  and  those  contained  in the  concurrent  list. Besides, laws made  by states  can be overridden  by federal  laws  of  there  is  conflict.  The  federal  government  exercises statutory responsibility creation of new local governments.

FEDERAL - STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT  RELATIONS

Finance  is  the  most  critical  policy  issues  in  intergovernmental  fiscal relations.  The  issues  concerning  fiscal  relations  among  the constitutional  units  of  the  Nigerian  federation  that  remain  mostly unresolved  are  the  divergence  between  assigned  functions  and  tax powers;  the  principle  of  horizontal    and  vertical  revenue  allocation; dependence  of  state  and  local  governments  on  the  federal  sources  of funding;  the  tendency  towards  concentration  and  federal  presence  in the state (Mbanefo, 1998).

As  the  federal  –  state  and  local  governments  have  powers  under  the concurrent  list  on  collection  of  taxes,  there  were  overlaps  in  tax  and levy  collection  by  various  tiers  of  government  necessitating  a  new schedule of taxes being published for all tiers of government.

MECHANISM  FOR  MANAGING  FEDERAL  STATE  AND  LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

However,  under  the  federal  system,  a  number  of  administrative mechanisms  are  often  devised  to  manage  intergovernmental  relations. In  Nigeria, a  number  of  meetings  and  conferences  with  administrative standing  committees,  constitutional  boards,  council  or  commissions have  been  associated  with  federal,  state,  local  or  interstate constitutions (Eneanya, 2009: 255).

With  the  emergence  of  democratic  governance,  since  1979, management  of  inter-governmental  relations  has  followed  these dimensions (Eneanya, 2009: 256 – 7):

i.  The  use  of  national  economic  council  and  national  council  of states;

ii.  Crucial role  of courts in  resolving inter-governmental disputes  of supreme  court  ruling  mollifying  the  revenue  allocation  act  of 1981  and  the  dispute  at  the  supreme  court  between  the  Lagos State  government  and  the  federal  government  over  creation  of new local council.

iii.  The   role   of   national   and    state   assemblies   in   their   inter-governmental  relations,  example,  the  assembly  of  speakers  and the  position of  the  national  assembly  in  resolving federal – state– local governments revenue sharing formula;

iv.  The  impact of political parties’  competition in  the management of inter-governmental  relations.  Elected  officials  of  various  parties now align to resolve inter-governmental conflicts.

v.  The  reactions  of  citizens  to  the  activities  of  public  officials  who operate  at  different  levels  of  government,  especially  the  support given to officials on inter-governmental conflicts.

All  these  conferences  and  meetings  were  aimed  at  managing  inter-governmental relations in order to minimize areas of conflict.

   

STATE - LOCAL GOVENRMENT RELATIONS

State  –  local  government  relations  may  not  necessarily be  a constitutional  matter  in  a  federal  system,  yet  such  relations  may provide  the  evidence  of  a  working  federalism. 

ADMINISTRATIVE RELATIONSHIPS

State  –  local  government  relations  may  not  be  a  constitutional  matter in  a  federal  system.  Over the  years  before  1976,  local  government units  have  treated  part  of  state  governments.  State  governments

created by by-laws a nd have effective control on their administration. However,  the  nationwide  local  government  reform  of  1976  brought local  government  units  into  constitutional,  especially  with  the

entrenchment  of  the  functions  of  local  government  functions entrenched in  the  fourth schedule  of 1979  modified significantly state – local government relations.

This  is  significant  because  the  local  government  units  were  assigned role  to  play  in  management  of  primary  school  education  and  primary Healthcare  services.  These  roles  created  forum  for  the  state  and  local govnemnt  interact  as  they  are  beneficiaries  of  revenue  allocation.  This constitutional provision  in  Nigeria helped  to  establish  a  formal  role  for the federal government in local government affairs.

A  formal  state  –  local  government  relations  was  now  created  in  the process, as state –  local government joint account became  inevitable to share  revenue  allocated to  local councils from federal account. When  it was  even  realized  that  state  governments  were  “short   –  changing”  the local  government  units  from  the  state  –  local  government  units’  joint accounts,  the  national  assembly  approved  an  executive  bill  to  enable the  federal  government  allocated  revenue  directly  to  the  local  council units.   It   was   even   attached   with   a   clause   that   should   a   state government  short-change  a  local  government  on  funds  allocated  to them,  such  state  government  would  be  surcharge  with  equivalent amount  the  council  was  short  changed.  As  expected,  many  state governments protested on this, and called for its abrogation.

However,  these  provisions  for  the  functions  of  local  government  units are  encouraging  political  developments  they  are  yet  to  be  resolved  as constitutional  accepted  state  –  local  government  relations.  In  spite  of this, it is an evidence of a working federalism.

 FISCAL  RELATIONSHIP  BETWEEN  STATE  AND  LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Financial  relationships  also  exist  between  the  states  and  local governments.  The  annual  budgets  of  local  government  require  the approval  of  the  state  government  before  they  can  be executed.  In fact,

the  state  government  sets  out  guidelines  for  the  preparation  of  such annual budgets. Expenditures above certain limits required approval. Moreover, local  government autonomy is  not absolute. The third  tier  of government  retains functional and  fiscal  relations with  the higher tiers of government.  The state government relates with local  governments as follows:

i.  Allocate  10%   of  its  internally  generated  revenue  to  the  local

governments within the state;

ii.  Enact  through  the  state  House  of  Assembly,  a  law  providing  for the  structure   composition,   revenue,   expenditure   and   other matters,  such  as  staffing  meetings  and  other  relevant  matters provided  such  laws  are  not  in  conflict  with  the  constitution  or any existing federal legislation.

iii.  Establish  a  joint  planning  Board,  through  a  law  enacted  by  the state   House   of   Assembly;  to    require   each   local   government within  the  state  to  participate  in  the  economic  planning  and development of the local government area.

iv.  Establish   the   office   of   the   state   auditor   –   general   for   local governments  for  enhanced  public  probity  and  accountability  at the  local  government  level  through  the  regular  auditing  of  the

accounts of all the local governments within the state;

v.  Offer  advice,  assistance  and  guidance  (but  not  control),  as  and when necessary, to local governments in the state.

 

For further reading:

Ugoh,  S.  C.  (2011).  Understanding  Inter-governmental  Relations  in  Nigeria. Lagos: Sam Iroanusi Publications.    

Eneanya, A. N. (2012). Policy Research Analysis and Effective Policy- Making. Lagos: University of Lagos Press Ltd.

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