Pardon me, but I think the crop of local government chairmen in Nigeria are as useless as ketchup on ice-cream, or the ‘p’ in psychology. Rather than bringing the much needed development to the people, they serve as conduit pipes for gross mismanagement and waste. They feed fat on funds meant for the public while the infrastructures in their councils deteriorate. This is deplorable, considering the large amounts disbursed to the local government councils every month. The local government chairmen are nothing but figureheads that feed fat on funds meant for public use.

A Local Government Council is supposed to be the pivot of socio-economic planning and development in its area of authority. Being also the tier of government closest to the people, it is considered a most important facilitator of economic and social development at the grassroots.
As provided for in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Local Governments have functions and responsibilities assigned.
Some of these functions are performed exclusively by the Local Government like the maintenance of cemeteries, markets and motor parks. On the other hand, some other functions and responsibilities are performed concurrently with the State Government. Among these concurrent functions are primary education, agriculture, health and any other functions that may be conferred on Local Government by the House of Assembly of the State. As can be seen, these various functions and responsibilities of Local Governments are quite enormous and demanding. The tragedy of the situation is that Local Governments have failed woefully in the performance of their duties.

The local government is the third tier of the administrative structure in Nigeria. There are 774 local government areas (LGAs) in the country. The functions of Local Governments are clearly spelt out in the Constitution, and they are as follows:

a. Consideration and making of recommendations to the State commission on economic planning or any similar body on economic development of the State, particularly in so far as the area of authority of the Council and of the State are affected;
b. Collection of rates, and radio and television licenses;
c. Establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute or infirm;
d. Licensing of bicycles, trucks (other than mechanically propelled trucks), canoes, wheel barrows and carts;
e. Establishment, maintenance and regulation of markets, motor parks and public conveniences;
f. Construction and maintenance of roads, streets, drains and other public highways, parks, open spaces, or such public facilities as may be prescribed from time to time by the House of Assembly of a State;
g. Naming of roads and streets and numbering of houses;
h. Provision and maintenance of public conveniences and refuse disposal; responsibility for basic environmental sanitation and other aspects of preventive health services;
i. Registration of births, deaths and marriages;
j. Assessment of privately-owned houses or tenements for the purpose of levying such rates as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of a Stale; and,
k. Control and regulation of:
i. out-door advertising and hoarding,
ii. movement and keeping of pets of ail descriptions,
iii. shops and kiosks, .
iv. restaurants and other places for sale of food to the public, and
v. laundries.

The local government councils also work hand-in-hand with State governments on issues such as:
a. the provision and maintenance of primary education;
b. the development of agriculture and natural resources, other than the exploitation of minerals, and
c. Administration of maternity centres, dispensaries and leprosy clinics and Health Centres; the provision and maintenance of health services.
Other important duties of the local government administrations are:
(a) Jurisdiction over local inland waterways not designated as international water ways;
(e) Rural water supply and extension of urban water supply;
(f) Construction, and maintenance of primary schools;
(g) Agriculture and veterinary extension services;
(h) Town Planning;
(i) Care of markets, motor parks, and gardens;
(j) Maintenance of law and order; and
(k) Afforestation.
The Local Government should, in addition, provide:
i) Inspection of meat and abattoirs
ii) Nursery, primary and adult-education
iii) Information and public enlightenment
iv) Scholarships and bursaries
v) Public libraries and reading rooms
vi) Agricultural and animal health extension services and
veterinary clinics.
vii) Fire services
viii) Lighting and drainage
ix) Support for arts and culture
x) Control of pollution
xi) Control of beggars and prostitution,
xii) Homes for destitutes, the infirm and orphans
xiii) Public utilities including road and water transport
xiv) Public housing programmes
xv) Regulation and control of buildings
xvi) Town and country planning
xvii) Operations of commercial undertakings
xviii) Control of traffic and parking
xix) Pipe sewage systems

Financial Resources of Local Governments.

After discussing the array of functions and responsibilities of Local Governments, it is necessary to examine the available financial resources of Local Governments. This exercise is to be done with a need to find out how adequate the financial resources available to Local Governments are, vis-à-vis the functions and responsibilities of Local Governments in Nigeria. Local Governments as a third tier Government provide services and projects for the people and communities at the grassroots level.
As usual, Local Governments are therefore, Governments which are nearest to the people.
The impact of Local Governments would, therefore, directly be felt by the people. In order to carry out these various functions and responsibilities, Local Governments derive their revenue from statutory allocations, grants, taxes and rates levied locally. Other sources of fund are licence fees and proceeds from hire and lease of Council properties and investments, including lands, markets, buildings and in some cases, commercial undertakings and businesses. Local Governments in Nigeria as of now derive their main revenue from allocation from the Federation Account. In most cases, revenue from the various internal sources are not fully exploited and accounted for. There are a lot of leakages from these sources of internal revenue which tend to have negative impact on the finances of Local Governments.
Local Governments as governments closest to the people are supposed to provide basic services and projects to the communities at the grassroots. Though revenue from the Federation Account is relatively high these days, the expected impact on the people in terms of provision of services and projects to the people are not commensurate with the allocations received. Many local Governments have failed woefully in these areas in providing services, amenities and projects to the people and communities which they serve. The expectation of the people especially in the democratic dispensation is not met.

The Leaders

It is necessary at this juncture to refer to the role and performance of leadership in Local Governments in order to ensure more efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and transparency in the system. The type and quality of leaders in Local Governments are very crucial to the performance of the various functions and responsibilities assigned to Local Governments. For leaders in Local Governments to be effective and efficient demand that the leaders must be well groomed and educated. They should be exposed and trained in modern development strategies. Leaders are also expected to be honest, dedicated and committed to their responsibilities and their obligations to the people and the Communities. They should consciously learn the art of governance at the grassroots.
For leadership to be efficient and effective in Local Governments, there is the need to guarantee regular and democratic change and at all times to ensure easy and effortless transition or change in the system. Such a situation would encourage the emergence of honest and dedicated leadership in Local Governments. It would also facilitate the development of the Local Government Areas as such successive leadership would like to leave enduring and outstanding legacies of their tenure or service. This procedure of regular transition in leadership can only be sustained in a democracy. It is therefore necessary that all hands should be put on deck to ensure the success of our nascent democracy.

The Officials of Local Governments.

Another major stakeholder in the performance of Local Governments is the corps of officials mainly career officials. For the success of Local Governments there is the dire need to ensure the recruitment of educated, trained and dedicated staff. There is need for training to be organized by the Local Government Service Commission to update the quality of its staff. It is hoped that the staff will appreciate and internalize the essence of the trainings.

Usually, the Local Government Service Commission does the recruitment of all senior staff into the Local Government Service in the State.
What is to be emphasized here is the need for officials to strive to be efficient and dedicated by acquiring the requisite education, training and retraining to enable them perform.
Such knowledge needs to include the learning of the rules and regulations , officers should have and own copies of Financial Memoranda, the Constitution of the Country, bye-laws and other extant rules and regulations. A deep mastery of such rules and procedures would facilitate their job delivery and performance. Furthermore, they can become aware of their entitlements, rights and privileges. The employers’ responsibilities are equally known to them. It makes for the good health and success of the Service. It is expected that a crop of educated, trained and diligent staff would be in a position to advance the course and progress of development in the Local Governments. A contented and satisfied workforce is an asset to the establishment where the staff will be fulfilled if their aspirations are met in the Service. It would also reduce the incidence of corruption.

The Federal Government

We have identified the Federal Government as a major stakeholder. In a federation, the various governments including the State Governments and Local Governments co-exist. The Federal Government provides the thrust and the drive for the country and in the process its actions impact on Local Governments. The functions of Local Governments listed above include concurrent and exclusive functions. Some functions are quite beyond the scope and reach of not only Local Governments but also State Governments. In such situations, the Federal Government’s interventions would be indispensable. Such areas include the provision and maintenance of education, health, judiciary, transportation, communications, research, technology, tourism, security etc. The major inter-State highways passing through Local Government Areas are provided and maintained by the Federal Government.
In cases of tertiary education and health, the Federal Government directly comes in. In communications, the Federal Government comes in directly. Post offices and Postal Services are also provided by Federal Government. Security which includes Police and other Security Services are provided by the Federal Government. External publicity and marketing of local historical monuments, heritage, culture, arts and crafts are undertaken by such Federal Ministries and its Agencies like the Ministry of External Affairs and National Commission for Museums and Monuments on behalf of Local Governments to attract patronage either in the form of tourism or export. Such actions on the part of the Federal Government have direct impact on the performance of Local Governments.

The State Government

The State Governments can directly impact on Local Governments by providing the necessary guidelines and structure for governance at Local Government level. The State Government, in order to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, probity and accountability in Local Governments, puts in place some measures of control and monitoring. Such include the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Local Government Service Commission, the State Auditor-General (Local Government) and State Local Government Alarm Committee. Through these various bodies and agencies the State Government is able to monitor the activities of Local Government and ensure the enthronement of efficiency, effectiveness, probity and accountability. The State Government also provides radio communications equipment to link the State capital with all Local Governments in order to ensure maximum contact with the Local Governments. Such an arrangement guarantees the free-flow of information to and from Local Governments in the State.

The State House of Assembly

By the provision of Section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the system of Local Government by democratically elected Local Government Councils is guarantee and accordingly, the Government of every State shall ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such Councils. The State House of Assembly is a stakeholder in ensuring that good laws are made for Local Governments. In such a situation, the success of Local Governments will depend on the Local Government Law passed by the State House of Assembly.
The People
It is necessary to underscore the importance of the people in achieving efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. The people are the watchdogs of Local Governments. When the people are informed and committed, the course of activities of Local Governments can be directed to effective goals. In a democracy, power ultimately belongs to the people and therefore the people are urged to use their civic rights purposefully and judiciously. In a situation where the people are conscious of their rights and obligations, the burden of governance is greatly reduced. The leaders are able to reach the people easily and freely. There would not be any gap in communication. The activities and actions of the Local Governments will be easily appreciated and understood by the people. A knowledgeable citizenry is an asset to the Local Governments. At the end of the day, responsible leaders are always installed from such a citizenry at the Local Governments to advance the course of development. On the other hand, an uninformed citizenry contributes greatly to the installation of inept and irresponsible leadership. The people are advised to use their franchise effectively and diligently in ensuring the election of responsible and responsive leaders in Local Governments.

Apart from this, we should get to know our local government chairmen and learn to hold them accountable for their actions and inactions. We can encourage good governance by sharing pictures of bad roads, blocked drainages and other evidence of infrastructural decay within the jurisdiction of the local government. We will name and shame the officials involved.
Let us join hands to make REAL change a reality.


Source: https://web.facebook.com/forum9ja/posts/993544550707345

to help you see the need of local government and its contribution in rural development, there is every need for you to read this research work .http://www.projectandresearchwork.com/122-2/

Don't blame our local government chairmen. Here are the sources and uses of local government fund in nigeria
http://articlesng.com/sources-local-government-fund-nigeria/

Role Of The Auditor-General For Local Government In The Control Of Local Government Financial Resources

Audit is seen as an exercise which is carried out in order to lend credence to the statements prepare by directors of the company (who are not the owner) for use by the owners of the business (shareholder), the creditor, the employees, the government, the prospective investors etc where by the auditor expresses....

http://www.scharticles.com/role-auditor-general-local-government-control-local-government-financial-resources/

those LG are another coded looters . . .. .
. . . . .
. check my signature ⬇️⬇️⬇️