AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEMS AND PROSPECT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF AHIAZU MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA)

ABSTRACT

The changes and formation of new local government of 1976 gave room for further creation of more local government, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government in particular. The local government has faced a lot of problems, which is peculiar to any other local government in Imo State. All the local government departments face a lot of problems in their day to day administration and also encounter all these problems with aid of the state government. And the staff were also given the privilege to attend seminars to enlighten them on their day to day activities. Ahiazu Mbaise local government with less as must as possible stress both form the populace and the staff, and also the tax payers problems. Conclusively, the Ahiazu Mbaise local government has so far contributed to the development of its environment, metropolis and still one of the best local government in Imo State.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page - - - - - - - - i

Approval page - - - - - - - - ii

Dedication - - - - - - - - iii

Acknowledgement - - - - - - - iv

Abstract - - - - - - - - - vi

Table of contents - - - - - - - vii

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction - - - - - - - - 1

Statement of the problems - - - - - 13

Objectives of the study - - - - - - 14

Research Question - - - - - - - 14

Hypotheses - - - - - - - - 15

Significance of the study - - - - - - 16

Scope of the study - - - - - - - 17

Limitations of study - - - - - - 17

Definition of terms -- - - - - - - 19

CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review

Introduction - - - - - -- - - 21

Review of related literature - - - - - 21

Principles of Establishing Local Government - - 27

The purpose of establishing local government - 28

The problems of local government - - - - 31

Different Theories/Ideas of Local Government - - 34

Sources of power of Government - - - - 39

The roles of local government - - - - - 41

CHAPTER THREE: Research design & Methodology

Research Design - - - - - - - 63

Method of data collection - - - - - 63

Area of study - - - - - - - - 64

Population of the study - - - - - - 65

Sampling techniques - - - - - - 65

Method of data collection - - - - - 66

Sources of data - - - - - - - 67

Validation of data instrument - - - - - 68

Reliability of data instrument - - - - - 69

Method of data presentation and analysis - - 69

CHAPTER FOUR

Data presentation - - - - - - - 71

Data analysis - - - - - - - - 73

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of findings - - - - - - 79

Conclusion - - - - - - - - 79

Recommendation - - - - - - - 80

Suggestion for further studies - - - - 82

Appendix - - - - - - - - - 87

Questionnaire - - - - - - - - 88

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION/ BACKGROUNG OF THE STUDY

Local government as at colonial era existed as the instrumentalities of traditional authorities. Through the indirect rule administrative pattern of British colonization the indirect rule implies government through local authority with overall supervision by the colonial powers.

The use of indigenous political institutions for purpose of local government was contingent of modifications of some aspects of traditional government repugent to European ideas. As a system to local government, it achieved a measure of success in the centralized and powerful system of Northern and western provinces of Nigeria. In the Eastern provinces, an artificial base known as the “Warrant Chiefs were created for its operation”.

Local government through the instrumentalities of traditional political institution was created purposely to reach out to the people at the remotest part of the country by the colonial master.

As the country made political progress under colonial rule, it was felt that the system of local government needed reorganization. It has been agued that those reforms were undertaken by the colonial administration to stem the rising tide of the nationalistic movement. It is evident that political activities and other forms of social change forced local government reforms to swing in the direction of elected representatives which was associated with young /literate and “progressive element” and away form the “traditional element” as equated with chiefs, sons holding offices for life. The policy of the colonial government was to replace the native Administration system which was epitomized by the indirect rule philosophy with a system based broadly on the English model of country councils. Following the reorganization, local government legislation, patterned often