EFFECT OF VITAMINS C AND E INTAKE ON BLOOD ... - EuroJournals

European Journal of Social Sciences - Volume 2, Number 1 (2006)
Local Government and Fiscal Stress in Contemporary
Nigeria: An Examination
Ayo A. Adesopo
Department of Public Administration,
Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife.
Abstract
Local government system is known worldwide to be an agent of
development. It has failed in this wise due to a number of inadequacies.
This study investigated into the causes of such failures, with particular
reference to fiscal stress resulting mainly from restricted revenue-raising and
revenue-sharing powers as well as others classified under socio-political and
structural problems. The socio-political and structural problems were said to
be traceable to the nature of intergovernmental fiscal relationship existing
among the three tiers of government making up the Nigerian Federation. The
study also identified two major effects of fiscal stress and these are: first,
limited capacity of the local governments to meet the increasing scope, scale
and standard of constitutionally assigned roles; and second the autonomy that
is implicit in the idea of a third tier of government is undermined. It
therefore made a number of recommendations that would enable the level of
government achieve and sustain its functional but relative autonomy.
Local government development profile in nigeria
Local government has always been of importance in the political terrain of Nigeria. This
has led to its reformation or restructuring several times in the history of Nigeria. Before
the 1950s, the colonial government was using indirect rule to administer the grassroots.
It was through the Native Authorities (NAs) then operating under the District Officer
(DO) with the Cooperation of Traditional Rulers. Funds were being raised mainly
through taxation collected by the NAs which retained a part for the maintenance of their
services. Budgets were prepared then under the guidance of the DO and approved by
government. Such an arrangement received stiff opposition especially from Southern
Nigeria in early 1950s. This led to the replacement of native administration with the
Local Council Ordinance. The western region followed with the Local Council Law of
1952 while the Northern region passed a corresponding law in 1954. Local Council
Service Boards (LCSB) were created in Southern parts in 1955 to regulate the powers of
the local authorities on appointment of employees. In the North, appointments were on
the approval of the appropriate regional minister of government. In 1960, the laws were
amended in line with regional experiences and dictates of the time. Ministry of Local
Council was later created to strengthen inspection of finance and personnel. When the
military took over power in 1966, local administration system was abolished via Decree
34, further eroding the autonomy and power of local government councils (Guardian,
August 7, 2003:9). Of importance to us here was the reduced roles for states and local
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