PROJECT PROPOSAL: THE IMPACT OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

PROJECT PROPOSAL:

THE IMPACT OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

Introduction                                                                 

Intergovernmental relations (IGR) provide a platform for series of legal, political and administrative collaboration between levels of government with varying degree of autonomy. It is generally referred to as the transaction between levels of government, either national or regional or among federal, state and local governments (Ajulor and Okewale, 2011). Such relationships among the tiers of government are not without tension and conflict.                           As important as local government administration has been, there seems to be some constraints that have been infringing on its operations over the years. These challenges range from political but undue interference of federal and state governments, coupled with high rate of bribery and corruption to embezzlement and gross inadequacy of well-trained and qualified human resources among others (Akhakpe, Fatile & Igbokwe-Ibeto, 2012).                 

          The achievement of the objectives of intergovernmental 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 intergovernmental relation is basically based on the three tiers of government that is the Federal, State and Local Government.  But come to look at that, the Federal and State Government is said to have more autonomy than local government due to the fact that they are the last tier of government (John Nwafor: Unpublished work).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 Chairmen 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)

          Modern local government administration in Nigeria began during the British colonial rule. But then the system was not uniform. The restructuring and provision of some level of roles, democratic existence and funding of local government administration began in 1976. The 1976 local government reform introduced a uniform system of local government administration throughout the country, recognized local government as third tier of government and granted financial and functional autonomy to local government administration in Nigeria. The reform was a major departure from the previous practice of local government administration in Nigeria (Oviasuyi, Idada & Isiraojie, 2010).

          As noted in the works of Adeyemi (2012), Achimugu, Stephen & Agboni (2013), Chukwuemekaet al., (2014), the Nigeria 1976 Guideline for Local Government Reform defines local government as:Government at the local levelestablished by law to exercise specific powers within defined area (and) toinitiate and direct the provision of services and to determine and implement projects so as to complement the activities of the state and federal government in their areas, and to ensure that local initiative and response to local needs and conditions are maximized.

          In addition, local government is seen as a system of government whereby the state allows the establishmentof local units of government with powers and authority to make local decisions on matters that affect the local communities and to mobilize local resources for implementation or execution of the decisions made (Eboh & Diejomaoh, 2010).

          Many writers are however of the view that within the setting of intergovernmental relations, local government is not autonomous and cannot be completely autonomous. Adeyemo (2005) belongs to this school of thought when he argued that there can never be an absolute autonomy because of the interdependence of the three levels of government and this brings into focus the inter-governmental context of local government autonomy. The federal, state and local governments rule over the same population. If they are to achieve the purpose of their creation and not to waste the meagre resources at their disposal, there must be a definition of the boundaries or arena of operation of each of them. (Wada, Aminu; 2014)

          Ukertor (2009:339) averred that local government autonomy refers to the degree accorded the third tier of government with respect to legal, administrative, and financial independence within constitutional limits. He contended that, whereas intergovernmental relations should be characterized by partnership, but control appears to be the dominant theme in Nigeria.

According to Opeskin (1998, p. 11), the term “intergovernmental relations” is commonly used to refer to relations between central, regional, and local governments that facilitate the attainment of common goals through cooperation. Used in this sense, mechanisms for intergovernmental relations may be seen as employing consensual tools for the mutual benefit of the constituent units of the state.                                                                               For Van der Waldt and Du Toit (1997, p. 162) intergovernmental relations refer to the mutual relations and interactions between government institutions at horizontal and vertical levels. This is in line with Thornhill’s (2002, p. 8) definition that “intergovernmental relations consist of all the actions and transactions of politicians and officials in national, sub-national units of government and organs of the state”. All of which are in line with Adamolekun’s (1999, p. 53) position that it deals with the relationships between government and sub-national units, hence Ademolekun (1986, p. 89) defines intergovernmental relations as the interactions that take place among the levels of government within a state.  Crucial to this relation amongst spheres of government are statutory bodies (legislative backing) and non-statutory bodies (constituted by government for a specific task) as these can promote intergovernmental relations in the form of committees, boards or a range of other bodies (Kuye, Thornhill & Fourie, 2002, p. 45).  

          Thus, the evaluation of the mutual working relationship between and amongst the federal, state and local governments in Nigeria, just like that of advanced democracies is germane to this study.It will therefore expose the challenges facing the Local government administration in a cooperative government and how they can be minimized to achieve efficient service delivery. It would also be of great significance to researchers by way of making them aware of the findings that have been uncovered in this research, so that they would know where to start from in their subsequent research work in the area of inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.

Statement of the Problem                                                                The nature of intergovernmental relation in Nigeria has over the years eroded the powers and functions ofLocal government administration in Nigeria. It has subsequently relegated the third tier of government in a federation (i.e. local government) to a subsidiary or an appendage of the second tier of government (i.e. the state government). Local Government taxes are minimal hence this limits their ability to raise independent revenue and so they depend solely on allocation from the federation account.     

          This has no doubt created unhealthy rivalry between local government and other levels of government has a result of a number of interrelated factors, such as: undue interference by the state government, unconstitutional removal of the local government chairmen by some state governments, shortening of local government chairmen’s tenure of office, joint state-local government account, which the former controls and what the states perceive to be an attempt by the federal government to relate directly with local governments.

          These and other challenges facing local government administration have rendered it incapable of producing good governance and democratic dividends to the people of the grassroots. This study is timely as it evaluates the impact of intergovernmental relations on local government administration in Nigeria.

Research Questions                                                                                         The research questions that will guide the study are as follows:

1.     Does the constitution make provision for intergovernmental relations in Nigeria?

2.     What are the areas of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria?

3.     What is the relevance of intergovernmental relations in local government in Nigeria?

4.     What are the causes of conflicts between the levels of government in Nigeria?

5.     What effects has intergovernmental relations had on Local Government Administration?

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the Impact of Inter-governmental Relations on Local Government Administration in Nigeria, with particular reference to Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.                Other objectives of this study are to

 i.            examine the relevance of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria;

ii.            identify the areas of conflicts and cooperativeness among the tiers of government as it affects the local government administration; and

iii.            recommend measures required for an improved intergovernmental relations in Nigeria suitable for increased development at the grass root level.

ResearchMethodology                                                                      Research methodology is the process of carrying out a research. It tends to describe the various steps used in achieving the objective of the study. According to Okaja (2003, p.2), research design “is the structure and strategy for obtaining a reliable and valid result of a problem.”                              The research method that will be used in this work is the survey method. Survey research studies both large and small populations by selecting and studying samples chosen from the population. It is therefore an appropriate method of research on the Impact of Intergovernmental Relations on Local Government Administration in Nigeria.                                                   Thestudy will be carried out in Ijebu North Local Government, Ogun State, where its headquarters are in the town of Ijebu Igbo, having a population of 284,336 at the 2006 census.The researcher considered this areadue to its near distance, familiarity, and availability of respondentsin order to save time and cost.                                                                                                                In this study, the primary and secondary sources of data collection will be adopted. The primary data will be derived through the use of self-administered questionnaires, while the secondary data will be derived from newspapers, journals, and the internet.                                                                                              A purposive sampling technique willbe used, thereby having a sample size of 150 respondents which will include staffs (senior and junior) of the various departments in the local government. Not left out are stakeholders,academicians and studentsin the related field, and other members of the public. The selection is therefore intended to represent a broader view of the Nigerian societywith the assumption that they are more informed enough to discuss issues related to the impact of Intergovernmental Relations on Local Government administration in Nigeria.                                                       Thus, the data generated for the study will therefore be presented and analyzed usingsimple tables and percentages.

Introduction                                                                 

Intergovernmental relations (IGR) provide a platform for series of legal, political and administrative collaboration between levels of government with varying degree of autonomy. It is generally referred to as the transaction between levels of government, either national or regional or among federal, state and local governments (Ajulor and Okewale, 2011). Such relationships among the tiers of government are not without tension and conflict. As important as local government administration has been, there seems to be some constraints that have been infringing on its operations over the years. These challenges range from political but undue interference of federal and state governments, coupled with high rate of bribery and corruption to embezzlement and gross inadequacy of well-trained and qualified human resources among others (Akhakpe, Fatile & Igbokwe-Ibeto, 2012).                 

          The achievement of the objectives of intergovernmental 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 intergovernmental relation is basically based on the three tiers of government that is the Federal, State and Local Government.  But come to look at that, the Federal and State Government is said to have more autonomy than 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 Chairmen 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)

          Modern local government administration in Nigeria began during the British colonial rule. But then the system was not uniform. The restructuring and provision of some level of roles, democratic existence and funding of local government administration began in 1976. The 1976 local government reform introduced a uniform system of local government administration throughout the country, recognized local government as third tier of government and granted financial and functional autonomy to local government administration in Nigeria. The reform was a major departure from the previous practice of local government administration in Nigeria (Oviasuyi, Idada & Isiraojie, 2010).

          As noted in the works of Adeyemi (2012), Achimugu, Stephen & Agboni (2013), Chukwuemekaet al., (2014), the Nigeria 1976 Guideline for Local Government Reform defines local government as:Government at the local levelestablished by law to exercise specific powers within defined area (and) toinitiate and direct the provision of services and to determine and implement projects so as to complement the activities of the state and federal government in their areas, and to ensure that local initiative and response to local needs and conditions are maximized.

          In addition, local government is seen as a system of government whereby the state allows the establishmentof local units of government with powers and authority to make local decisions on matters that affect the local communities and to mobilize local resources for implementation or execution of the decisions made (Eboh & Diejomaoh, 2010).

          Many writers are however of the view that within the setting of intergovernmental relations, local government is not autonomous and cannot be completely autonomous. Adeyemo (2005) belongs to this school of thought when he argued that there can never be an absolute autonomy because of the interdependence of the three levels of government and this brings into focus the inter-governmental context of local government autonomy. The federal, state and local governments rule over the same population. If they are to achieve the purpose of their creation and not to waste the meagre resources at their disposal, there must be a definition of the boundaries or arena of operation of each of them. (Wada, Aminu; 2014)

          Ukertor (2009:339) averred that local government autonomy refers to the degree accorded the third tier of government with respect to legal, administrative, and financial independence within constitutional limits. He contended that, whereas intergovernmental relations should be characterized by partnership, but control appears to be the dominant theme in Nigeria.

According to Opeskin (1998, p. 11), the term “intergovernmental relations” is commonly used to refer to relations between central, regional, and local governments that facilitate the attainment of common goals through cooperation. Used in this sense, mechanisms for intergovernmental relations may be seen as employing consensual tools for the mutual benefit of the constituent units of the state.                                                                               For Van der Waldt and Du Toit (1997, p. 162) intergovernmental relations refer to the mutual relations and interactions between government institutions at horizontal and vertical levels. This is in line with Thornhill’s (2002, p. 8) definition that “intergovernmental relations consist of all the actions and transactions of politicians and officials in national, sub-national units of government and organs of the state”. All of which are in line with Adamolekun’s (1999, p. 53) position that it deals with the relationships between government and sub-national units, hence Ademolekun (1986, p. 89) defines intergovernmental relations as the interactions that take place among the levels of government within a state.  Crucial to this relation amongst spheres of government are statutory bodies (legislative backing) and non-statutory bodies (constituted by government for a specific task) as these can promote intergovernmental relations in the form of committees, boards or a range of other bodies (Kuye, Thornhill & Fourie, 2002, p. 45).  

          Thus, the evaluation of the mutual working relationship between and amongst the federal, state and local governments in Nigeria, just like that of advanced democracies is germane to this study.It will therefore expose the challenges facing the Local government administration in a cooperative government and how they can be minimized to achieve efficient service delivery. It would also be of great significance to researchers by way of making them aware of the findings that have been uncovered in this research, so that they would know where to start from in their subsequent research work in the area of inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.

Statement of the Problem                                                                The nature of intergovernmental relation in Nigeria has over the years eroded the powers and functions ofLocal government administration in Nigeria. It has subsequently relegated the third tier of government in a federation (i.e. local government) to a subsidiary or an appendage of the second tier of government (i.e. the state government). Local Government taxes are minimal hence this limits their ability to raise independent revenue and so they depend solely on allocation from the federation account.     

          This has no doubt created unhealthy rivalry between local government and other levels of government has a result of a number of interrelated factors, such as: undue interference by the state government, unconstitutional removal of the local government chairmen by some state governments, shortening of local government chairmen’s tenure of office, joint state-local government account, which the former controls and what the states perceive to be an attempt by the federal government to relate directly with local governments.

          These and other challenges facing local government administration have rendered it incapable of producing good governance and democratic dividends to the people of the grassroots. This study is timely as it evaluates the impact of intergovernmental relations on local government administration in Nigeria.

Research Questions                                                                                         The research questions that will guide the study are as follows:

1.     Does the constitution make provision for intergovernmental relations in Nigeria?

2.     What are the areas of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria?

3.     What is the relevance of intergovernmental relations in local government in Nigeria?

4.     What are the causes of conflicts between the levels of government in Nigeria?

5.     What effects has intergovernmental relations had on Local Government Administration?

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the Impact of Inter-governmental Relations on Local Government Administration in Nigeria, with particular reference to Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.                Other objectives of this study are to

 i.            examine the relevance of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria;

ii.            identify the areas of conflicts and cooperativeness among the tiers of government as it affects the local government administration; and

iii.            recommend measures required for an improved intergovernmental relations in Nigeria suitable for increased development at the grass root level.

ResearchMethodology                                                                      Research methodology is the process of carrying out a research. It tends to describe the various steps used in achieving the objective of the study. According to Okaja (2003, p.2), research design “is the structure and strategy for obtaining a reliable and valid result of a problem.”                              The research method that will be used in this work is the survey method. Survey research studies both large and small populations by selecting and studying samples chosen from the population. It is therefore an appropriate method of research on the Impact of Intergovernmental Relations on Local Government Administration in Nigeria.                                                   Thestudy will be carried out in Ijebu North Local Government, Ogun State, where its headquarters are in the town of Ijebu Igbo, having a population of 284,336 at the 2006 census.The researcher considered this areadue to its near distance, familiarity, and availability of respondentsin order to save time and cost.                                                                                                                In this study, the primary and secondary sources of data collection will be adopted. The primary data will be derived through the use of self-administered questionnaires, while the secondary data will be derived from newspapers, journals, and the internet.                                                                                              A purposive sampling technique willbe used, thereby having a sample size of 150 respondents which will include staffs (senior and junior) of the various departments in the local government. Not left out are stakeholders,academicians and studentsin the related field, and other members of the public. The selection is therefore intended to represent a broader view of the Nigerian societywith the assumption that they are more informed enough to discuss issues related to the impact of Intergovernmental Relations on Local Government administration in Nigeria.                                                       Thus, the data generated for the study will therefore be presented and analyzed usingsimple tables and percentages.