Local government, local government administration, local government reform, colonized, autonomy, constitutional. Politics and challenges of the 1999 constitution asaju, k. Nigerian federalism and local government autonomy project. Nigerias constitutions up to the time of independence in 1960 were truly federal in character. It seems federalism guarantees local government autonomy. The scope and future of local government autonomy in nigeria. A political subdivision of a nation in a federal system state, which is. In a federal system of government, political power is shared. This has created disaffection in the nigerian federation. The study adopted secondary source of collecting data. Nigerias constitutional system explicitly establishes local autonomy as one of the principles of its three tier federalism.
Local autonomy can deepen democracy by bringing government closer to the people. These debates hinge primarily on the autonomy status of the local government. Many reasons, ranging from the political to the socioeconomic, have been given for the creation of local government. Chapter 2 meaning, nature and scope of local governments india has the distinction of being a unique federal country. The paper argues that local government is not mutually exclusive of other levels of government and. That federalism seems to guarantee local government autonomy.
He said that the characteristics of this federal principle are the division of powers among levels. It revealed that there is a remarkably difference between local government autonomy and democratic governance in nigeria and usa. To appreciate this section, it is necessary to operationalize the key concept in the discourse autonomy. Local government fiscal autonomy is derived from the fiscal federalism as is operated in the nigerian federation. Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government autonomy in nigeria. Local government administration in nigeria is classified as the third tier of government while several problems have been its recurring decimal and various reforms since 1976 havent been able to make the system effective and responsible to developmental challenges.
Conceptual issues fiscal federalism is a byproduct of federalism. Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government. In a unitary system, power is shared between the central government and the local government. The fiscal arrangement among the different tiers of government in a federal structure is often referred to as fiscal federalism. Just as a builder relies on a building plan and a voyager uses a compass to guide his voyage.
Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government autonomy in nigeria article pdf available in mediterranean journal of social sciences may 2016 with 3,814 reads how we measure reads. Fiscal federalism and nigeria economic development. Chapter 2 meaning, nature and scope of local governments. Fiscal federalism and local government finance in nigeria. So far the local government system in nigeria has not been stable and thus its future remains bleak, uncertain and insecure. Fda and lga finance statistics of nigeria, 2016 central bank of nigeria data and statisticse. That nigeria local government system lacks autonomy. Federalism in nigeria and local government autonomy. Local authorities in many advanced countries enjoy. Finally, we examine the operation of autonomous local governments. A critical evaluation with abstract, chapter 15, references and questionnaire. On the other hand, the state government has a statutory obligation to pay 10% of its total internal revenue to the local government within the state and can give other specific grants to the local government.
But the indian constitution provides for a three tier. Thus the worry over the development of a national and functional fiscal federalism for nigeria is well founded. On the other hand, the state government has a statutory obligation to pay 10% of its total internal revenue to the local government within the state and can give other specific grants to. Pdf local government and fiscal federalism in nigeria. Nigerias unitary federalism the guardian nigeria news. The role of states and local governments prepared for the nigerian per steering committee by stuti khemani july 24, 2001 introduction 1. Federalism is a political concept in which power to govern is. Local government and fiscal autonomy for local government. Federalism is the mixed or compound mode of government, combining a general government the central or federal government with regional governments provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other subunit governments in a single political system. C where, is the method of dividing powers so that the central and regional governments are each, within a. Reacting to issues on local government autonomy, president muhammadu buhari said, apparently, it is corruption that led to the relegation of local. To ascertain if federalism guarantees local government autonomy.
The autonomy of local governments and the place of the 4th. Local government and intergovernmental relations in. That there are impediments to local government autonomy in nigeria. The power to create and abolish local gov ernment resides with them provincial or state government.
Introduction since the inception of the system of local government in nigeria, there had been persistent clamour for the autonomy of the local government as the third tier of governance in the federation. To explain if full autonomy is given to nigeria local government system ofu local government will enhance its service delivery. Many studies that have attempted to address the problem of poor performance of local governments in nigeria offer various reasons including. In the nigeria context, this consists of a federal government, 36 states, federal capital territory and 774 local governments. Okufuwa department of economics, crawford university, igbesa, ogun state, nigeria abstract it is believed that state and local governments, been closer to the people will be more responsive to the. Local government and intergovernmental relations in nigerias. At the theoretical level, it will add to the frontier of knowledge of nigerian federalism and local. Autonomy of local government in relation to other levels or tiers of government manifests itself in. The evolution, development and practice of federalism in. Ordinarily, federalism involves a two tier system centralunion government at the first level and the stateprovincial government at the second level. Doc federalism and local govt autonomy in nigeria king. It is important to note that the federal government has over the years joined in.
Before the issuance of 1976 local government reform guidelines, a reform generally acknowledged to be the legal foundation for the socalled third tier status of local government in nigeria, local government control had been statedominated. There are so many problems facing this tier which we shall discuss. Thus, the broad objective of this research work is to assess the nigerian federalism and local government autonomy specifically ofu local government area of kogi state. An evaluation with abstract, chapter 15, references and questionnaire.
The strengthening of local governments and the operation of. Therefore, the problem with federalism in nigeria is the mixapplication or nonapplication of this clause especially as it has to do with power distribution awa, 1977. There is a correlation between the granting of full autonomy to local government ofu local government and enhanced service delivery. Nigeria practices the federal presidential system of government while france is a. Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government autonomy. Each region had its own constitution, coat of arms and autonomy with regard to the functions. The local government is the third tier of government. Local government administration in nigeria has been in existence since 1972 and its primary function is to bring government nearer to. Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government autonomy in. The two countries have enormous differences that can be counted, in their model and local government systems. Local government and fiscal autonomy for local government in.
But the opposite is the case with nigeria federalism. Sep 03, 2017 to explain if full autonomy is given to nigeria local government system ofu local government will enhance its service delivery. Nigeria federalism and local government autonomy get your. I think that was a right move, otherwise nigerias wahala will multiply if the 774 local government councils are granted autonomy because they will take corruption to the next level, said. Nigeria local government system ofu local government is not autonomous.
Local government administration in nigeria has been in existence since 1972 and its primary function is to bring government nearer to the people at the grassroots. C where, is the method of dividing powers so that the central and regional governments are each, within a sphere, co ordinate and independent. Since the inception of the system of local government in nigeria, there had been persistent clamour for the autonomy of the local government as the third tier of governance in the federation. Introduction local government is the closest tier of government to the people. In part d the response earned 1 point for referencing the requirement of a presidential candidate to receive at least 25% of the popular vote in two thirds of the states and tying it. Federalism is a constitutional mechanism for dividing power between different levels of government so that federated units can enjoy substantial, constitutionally guaranteed autonomy over certain policy areas while sharing power in accordance with agreed rules over other areas. Over the thirty years of nigerian independence, however, there have been barriers to local government autonomyeven under civilian rulethat have. A comparative analysis of local government administration. The practice of federalism in nigeria is one of the legacies the british colonial masters bequeathed to nigeria.
Local government autonomy as an imperative for true federalism. What are the reasons for the creation of local government in nigeria. Local government autonomy as an imperative for true. The federal government also has the power to know how the money it paid to the local government is spent. Over the years the ideal position and status of the local government as a third tier government have been of constant debates. Constitution of the federal republic of nigeria, 1999.
Nigeria can be said to be operating the federal system of government, whereas in actual practice, the country is tending towards a unitary system. Its distinctive feature, exemplified in the founding example of modern federalism by the. The relative roles of the three tiers of governmentthe federal government, the. Pdf one of the arguments for the adoption of federalism in nigeria is the desire for economic and political viability and development in a. Many reasons, ranging from the political to the socioeconomic. A brief tour through the history of nigerian federalism reveals sharp turning. Federalism is a constitutional mechanism for dividing power between different levels of government so that federated units can enjoy substantial, constitutionally guaranteed autonomy over certain policy areas while sharing power in accordance with agreed rules over.
Given the territorially delineated cleavages abounding in nigeria and the historical legacy of divisions among ethnic groups, regions, and sections, the federal imperative was so fundamental that even military governmentscharacteristically unitarian, hierarchical, and centralistattached importance to the continuation of a federal system of government. Why local governments should be given autonomy vanguard news. Fiscal federalism, local government, autonomy, finance 1. The 1999 constitution sets out the following functions of local government in nigeria. The paper examined a comparative analysis of local government autonomy and democratic governance in nigeria and usa. Local government is born out of federalism because. Its distinctive feature, exemplified in the founding example of modern federalism by the united states under the constitution of 1787, is a. Department of public administration, federal polytechnic idah, kogi state, nigeria email. The politics of local government autonomy in nigeria reloaded felix akpan, phd okonette ekanem department of public administration, university of calabar, nigeria abstract the politics of local government in nigeria reloaded has been inspired by the 20 constitution amendment process initiated by the national assembly. Federalism, constitutionalism, and local government autonomy in nigeria many studies that have attempted to address the problem of poor performance of local governments in nigeria offer various reasons including the issue of lack of democracy and autonomy.
Department of public administration ahmadu bello university, kongocampus, zaria kaduna state, nigeria. Constitution of the federal republic of nigeria, 1995 military additional modifications, including elaborate ethnic power sharing, greater decentralization, 30 states, percent resource revenue minimum for producing states, return to multiparties. The paper examines local government and intergovernmental relations in nigeria. Pdf federalism, constitutionalism, and local government. The relative roles of the three tiers of governmentthe federal. There is a correlation between the granting of full autonomy to local government ofu local government and enhanced service. Local government is born out of federalism because federalism has to do with the division of power between the central and the component units local government is a component in a federal system, it is recognized as a third tier of government which is charged with the responsibility at the grass root. Federal principle and local government autonomy in nigeria. It was created to bring government closer to the grassroots and give the people a sense of belonging.