ABSTRACT
This
research work examined the local government and inter-governmental relationship
in a federal system m the Nigertan, government, its challenges and possible solutions.
This study is an appraisal of the local government sustain Nigeria, its
branches and the way of work, the research employed the systems theory which
means the interaction of a system and subsystems within the holistic entity.
This theory therefore explains the relationship of both the local government
and other tiers of government in the federal system, of Nigeria, the study
employed the use of questionnaires to better gauge different reactions of
people as. to low the local government works in a federal system. Hypotheses
was formulated and tested to assess the relationship between the diferent levels
of government in Nigeria. Finally, recommendations were made on the way forward
in actualizing an effective local government system in Nigeria. This is to
ensure that in future the local government would not just serve as the lowest
tier of government but would act as a bridge between the different levels of
government in fomulating and articulating the interest of the people for better
representation.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE STUDY
The concept of Intergovernmental relations is associated with
states having a Federal Administration system where the relationships between
the Federal, Central or National Governmental and major sub-national unit
(province, region or state) is formally spelt out in the constitution. Intergovernmental relations have been seen as
a system of transactions among structured levels of government in a state. It is also seen as registration in which the
parties are negotiating advantageous positions for power, money and problems-solving
responsibility (Olugbemi: 1980).
The goals of intergovernmental relations are said to be to promote
peace and harmony among the three tiers of government, which are the Federal,
State and Local Government. This is to
accelerate the achievement of a self-reliant economy. In so doing, inter-governmental relations
will also help to minimize inter-jurisdictional conflicts among the various
levels of government. Also it would help
in boosting greater national economic integration through the activities of the
three levels of government. Again to
enhance the emergence of co-operative rather than competitive federation there
is also need to enhance effective and efficient utilization of available human
and material resources among the three levels of government as this would help
in solving the problem of rural and urban poverty, also to achieve a situation
where there is special need for integrating programmers on a nation wide
scale. To look into the situation where
states, local government or unit of the federal set up have responsibilities
with no resources base to perform them (John Nwafor: Unpublished work).
The achievement of the objectives of inter-governmental relations
is dependent on some social factors within the Nigerian social System. Some social factors include the political
setting and the state of the economy in the nation. Looking at the political setting, the
inter-governmental relation is basically based on the three tiers of government
that is the Federal, State and Local Government. But looking at that, the Federal and State
Government is said to have more autonomy than the local government due to the
fact that they are the last tier of government (John Nwafor: Unpublished work). That is why local government is not given its
full autonomy to do things on its own.
The other tiers of the government still tell them what to do, how to
make their own policies, how to elect/appoint those to rule them like the
Chancellor or Chairman and so on. Local Government is still dependent on the
other tiers of government making them too subordinate and loyal for my liking
(Nwokedi, Ralph: 2002).
To this, there should be greater independence of the state and
local governments in the Federal Government for their survival and performance
of fundamental responsibilities. There
should also be several reforms which should lead to the recognition of the
local government as the third tier of government with relative autonomy and
jurisdictional powers as provided for in the constitution.
Another problem is the state of the nation’s economy. The nation’s economy really influenced the
nature and scope of intergovernmental relations in the local government in
Nigeria. The wealth of any nation is a
key factor in determining its pattern of material relation. Between 1960 and 1970, the basis of fiscal
relations between the Federal, State and Local Government were richer and more
powerful than the local government. But
these problems will come to an end if the local government has greater control
of the tax revenue. The local government
should control 50% of the tax revenue allocation of its area without the
Federal or State government interference.
They should also receive grants and aids from outside and within the
country, making them powerful and independent of their own. Their federation Allocation Account should be
granted to them annually or monthly as the case may be. They should be allowed to run their affairs
especially when it comes to monetary matters.
(F Okoli and Onah O, 2002).
In so doing, channel of communication should be at its high level
between the Federal, State and Local Government in order to produce an
effective result. This is because
without one another there would not be effectiveness due to the fact that an
inter-governmental relation is a relationship between the three tiers of
government.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
To appreciate the depth of crisis in the Federal system in
Nigeria, one has to follow the recent trend of the raging controversy between
the Federal and State Governments over the exercise of power or control of
revenue resources of local government on how not to have assumed the undue
Prominence given to it as a constitutional question if Nigerian Leaders,
particularly at the Federal level had adhered strictly to the norms of
federalism and followed the precedents established by the past democratic
governments in Nigerian federation.
In Nigeria, the issue of sharing resources among the three levels
of government has remained controversial due to lack of an acceptable formula. It generates tension and bad blood among the
three tiers of government. This has
resulted in setting up of different committees or commissions to prescribe the
formular to be used. Also there exists a
conflict between the Federal, State and Local government over acceptable
formular for sharing revenue. For
instance, the conflict is usually whether the principle of derivation, need,
natural interest or landmass should be used as a basis for the purpose. Even when these principles may be generally
accepted as the main basis for working out revenue allocation formular,
conflict might arise following as to which of the principles takes precedence
over others as the main criteria for sharing the revenue.
This is the problem of tax jurisdiction, which refers to the
problem of which aspect of government should collect what revenue over a
particular area. These have been serious
problems between the Federal, State and Local Governments. Their share of tax revenue seriously affects
local governments. They are the lowest
level of government. Likewise they
collect the least amount of tax revenue, which makes them still stagnant.
Another problem is the existence of control of one level of
government by another in any aspect (Abonyi, 2005). The local government is
dominated by the Federal and State governments.
They do not have their own autonomy making them too dependent on the
other levels of governments. Honorable
mention must be made of the problem of finding the best method of channeling
revenue from one level of government to another especially from the Federal to
the Local Government. (Ugwu, 1998:90).
1.3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1)
Did the constitution make any provision for
intergovernmental relations in Nigeria?
(2)
What is the relevance of inter-governmental relations
in local government in Nigeria?
(3)
Is the local government autonomous in nature in
Nigeria?
(4)
What effects has inter-governmental relations had in
Local Government Administration?
1.4 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study is to know if truly the local
government has a clear autonomy within the three tiers of Nigerian government
Nigeria,
Other objectives of the Study include
(i)
To determine the relevance of inter-governmental
relations in Nigeria
(ii)
To determine if the local government is independent
and can work on its own.
(iii)
To recommend measures required for an improved
inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This
study will be of great benefit to local government administrators. This is
because it will be expose the challenges it is facing in administering and
fostering important inter-governmental relations which would help in ensuring
full autonomy and making the local governments independent.
It
would also be of great significance to researchers by way of making them aware
of problems that have been uncovered by these researchers, so that they would
know where to start from in their subsequent research work in the area of
inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
It
would also be useful to university students like students of Godfrey Okoye
University when doing a likely research.
The study would be significant to policy makers and policy implementers,
as they would make use of the findings and recommendations of this study.
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