THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN RURAL …

1 30 THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUES Jide Ibietan Abstract The central aim or focus of this paper is to highlight the role of LOCAL GOVERNMENT (being the closest tier of GOVERNMENT to the grassroots) in RURAL development. The paper posits that the Nigerian political arrangement negates the essence of federalism (which is decentralization ) by being highly centralized. The fiscal practices grossly skewed in favour of the central GOVERNMENT couple with lack of accountability among the governing elites conjoin to thwart efforts at meaningful development in the third tier of governance. The paper is made up of Abstract; Introduction; Conceptual Clarification; Self-help as an issue in RURAL development; Nexus between LOCAL GOVERNMENT and RURAL Development; Approaches to RURAL Development, Conclusion and Recommendations.

2 It concluded that LOCAL governments have not been able to play their constitutional roles, let alone making attempts at RURAL development due in the main to the fact that they have been emasculated by other tiers of GOVERNMENT . It suggested the Integrated RURAL Development (IRD) approach in view of its comprehensiveness for sustainable RURAL development. The paper strongly recommended autonomy for LOCAL governments. It further canvassed fiscal and political reforms as avenues for strengthening governance in the Nigerian LOCAL GOVERNMENT system. Introduction The interrelationship or complementary nature of these two subjects underscore their relevance and study within the broad discipline of public administration.

3 As Institutions of critical importance, they are respectively the basic political organization, and the socio-economic activity. In view of the critical importance therefore, what affects them determine whether or not Nigeria or other third world nations develop. Constitutionally, LOCAL GOVERNMENT represents the third tier of governmental organization in Nigeria the others being the Federal and State governments. Frequently, the term Grassroots administration is employed as this has the additional advantage of graphically describing the location of this governmental arrangement. In reality, it is not vested with the powers and resources that it deserves. It is also ironical that the Nigerian situation negates the essence of federalism (which is decentralization ) by being highly centralized.

4 Elsewhere, where the ideals and strategies for effective development have been understood the correct way, LOCAL GOVERNMENT is the focus of GOVERNMENT efforts at promoting development. It becomes obvious overtime that to effectively develop, the people must be adequately mobilized. A purposeful combination of the LOCAL (peoples) effort/energies with that of GOVERNMENT with the objective of improving socio-economic conditions and encouraging political participation is a key factor in RURAL development. It represents the objective expression of the energies of mobilized RURAL communities in concrete and tangible projects such as roads, clinics, schools, potable water and other communal initiatives that benefit the people.

5 Conceptual Issues/Clarification LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT (as a body of knowledge and as practice) is encapsulated in a web like all other sub-discipline in the social sciences. There are divergent views on the subject as there are many authors. LOCAL GOVERNMENT in the communal sense means people s political instrument to participate in resource allocation, distribution and power acquisition. An indepth analysis of this definition converges with the broad objectives of LOCAL GOVERNMENT , which are political participation, efficient Knowledge Review Volume 20 No 2, April, 2010 31service delivery and resource mobilization. Political participation concerns the desire to involve LOCAL citizens in the management of LOCAL affairs.

6 Efficient service delivery, which is closely knitted with the above factor, is to ensure that the basic needs of LOCAL citizens are met as speedily and as efficiently as possible. Resource mobilization is to provide a framework within which LOCAL resources, both human and material, are effectively mobilized. (Adamolekun, 1983:7) Ezeani (2006:253) posits that LOCAL GOVERNMENT is generally seen as a veritable agent of development and grassroots participation in the democratic process . Germane to this paper are some of the issues raised as reasons for the creation of LOCAL GOVERNMENT thus: LOCAL GOVERNMENT particularly in developing countries is seen as a veritable instrument for RURAL development.

7 Consequently, all over the world, LOCAL governments have been assigned some functions under the law (Ezeani, 2006:258). The extent to which LOCAL governments have been able to achieve the objective of RURAL development is the focus of this paper. Other reasons for the creation of LOCAL GOVERNMENT identified which are crucial to this paper are to make appropriate services and development activities responsive to LOCAL wishes and initiatives by devolving or delegating them to LOCAL representative bodies . To sensitize and mobilize the various communities in their areas of authority in order to get involved in the overall development of their areas Ezeani (2006:258).

8 It is highly debatable if LOCAL governments in Nigeria have been able to effectively meet these and other lofty goals of their creation. Ezeani (2004:1) favours the approach by Adamolekun (2002:49) in discussing LOCAL GOVERNMENT within the purview of decentralization . Decentralisation is typologised into deconcentration meaning administrative decentralization or field administration and devolution implying democratic decentralization in which there is substantial autonomy to sub-national units ( LOCAL governments) with powers and responsibilities to perform specific functions given under the law by the central GOVERNMENT . Duru (2001:97) converges with Ezeani (2004) and Adamolekun (2002) on the above approach and conceptualization of LOCAL GOVERNMENT as devolution .

9 Proceeding from the above, Ezeani (2004:6) identified the following characteristics of devolution : LOCAL GOVERNMENT must be granted autonomy and independence and be clearly recognized as a tier of GOVERNMENT with little or no direct control by the central GOVERNMENT . LOCAL units must have clear and legally recognized geographical boundaries. LOCAL governments must possess corporate status including the power to raise sufficient revenue to perform assigned functions. devolution involves the need to develop LOCAL governments as institutions . It also entails reciprocal, mutually benefiting and coordinate relationships between central and LOCAL governments. An examination of the above characteristics in relation to the practice in Nigeria shows that apart from LOCAL governments having clear and legally recognized boundaries, the Fourth Schedule of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Page 150 and 151) spells out the functions of LOCAL GOVERNMENT .

10 It is a matter of polemics if LOCAL governments in Nigeria are raising sufficient revenue to perform assigned function due to the attractions and limitations in the practice of fiscal federalism in Nigeria which over the years had made sub national governments heavily dependent on federal financial handouts, thus relegating and/or out rightly abandoning legal and credible sources of revenue necessary for effective service delivery to the people at the grassroots. The practice of federalism in Nigeria, the role of the military in Nigerian Public administration system-especially due to its long stay or perpetration in governance with the unitary command structure that the military (militicians) imported into governance conjointly defeat other characteristics of devolution from being tenable in Nigeria.