“LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT A CATALYST FOR SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA” A PAPER DELIVERED BY DR. LEWIS AKPOGENA AT OCCASION OF AWARD PRESENTATIONS TO THE FIVE BEST PERFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL CHAIRMEN IN 100 DAYS IN RIVERS STATE IN RT. HON. CHIBUIKE AMAECHI SECOND TERM IN OFFICE ORGANIZED BY NIGER DELTA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSESSMENT TEAM ON SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2011 AT L.A. KINGS MULTI PURPOSE HALL, STADIUM ROAD, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA
Introduction
I am indeed happy and count it an honour and great opportunity to brainstorm with this gathering of important stakeholders in our quest for sustainable Local Government development.
Though the invitation to this seminar and request to deliver this lecture was at a relative short notice, I did not hesitate to honour the invitation in person for so many reasons. I place premium on the local government system, being the closest tier of government to the people and a very critical factor in national development and the realization of the Vision 20-20-20. Importantly too, the local government system and the grassroots remain the genesis and cornerstone of any political career. So, for me, this event is an uncommon opportunity for me to share ideas with Stakeholders.
Therefore, before I proceed, I wish to appreciate the Niger Delta Local Government Assessment Team under the able leadership of Comrade Emmanuel Nkweke and the five Best 100 Days Performing Local Government in Rivers State for their thoughtfulness in putting this seminar together to enrich discourses in topical development challenges facing the local government system and to build the capacity of these key players for better governance and administration of the local councils towards the achievement of Vision 20-20-20. This event, coming on the heels of Nigeria’s unprecedented 10 uninterrupted years of democracy, is a clear appreciation of the fact that democracy is not an end in itself, but a means which can best be sustained through good governance and practical improvement on the lives of our citizens. Incidentally, an overwhelming majority of our citizens live in the rural areas. Therefore, I count this seminar as indicative of a popular commitment to better the lots of a majority of Nigerians and by so doing consolidate our democracy.
Abstract
Local government is created to ensure meaningful development of the grassroots through participatory approach. Democracy therefore serves as veritable avenue through which the purpose for which local government is created can be achieved. The need to catalyze balanced development, maximize citizens’ participation, and arouse government responsive necessitates the creation of the local government. The local government serves as a form of political and administrative structure facilitating decentralization, national integration, efficiency in governance, and a sense of belonging at the grassroots. The local government is a unit of administration all over the world (Agagu, 2004). Although it’s a universal institution it, however, exists in different forms and in different political systems. Whatever the form of existence, the local government has been essentially regarded as the path to and guarantor of administrative efficiency, effective service delivery, and participatory development (Arowolo, 2005). It is a critical tier of government because of its closeness to the people (Gboyega, 1987). Local government appeals to both the people and government as a feedback institution that relays the opinions and demands of the grassroots to a higher government (Adejo, 2003). Aside from this feedback function, other competing functions of service delivery, promotion of democratization at local level, and mobilization of human resources for grassroots enhancement place the local government in a strategic position for sustainable development.
The local government system has been a major feature of the Nigerian government and politics since colonial rule though, over the years, there have been changes in name, structure, and composition, while the system was operated differently all over the country (Agagu, 2004). It was on this premise that the rising tide of progress, growth, and development experienced in the local government was based. The 1976 local government reform, carried out by the military administration of General Obasanjo, brought about uniformity in the administrative structure of the system. The reform introduced a multi-purpose, single tier local government system for the whole country (Ajayi, 2000). Since these reforms, successive governments have tinkered with the local government structure with a view of enhancing its capacity for good governance. Fundamentally, the local government is created to serve the rural communities. The local government is expected to mobilize and harness local resources and ensure their effective utilization, with the support of the state and federal governments.
Unfortunately, the much needed development has continued to elude the rural communities across the nation. It has been rural poverty, rather than rural development. However, the prevalence and pervasiveness of poverty and the underdevelopment at the grassroots level is still connected with the high level of corruption and absence of democratic ethos in the local government system. In view of the above, this paper, therefore, examines the essence of the local government system to rural communities, the virtues and vices of democracy in the local government, the policy framework that can engineer and sustain development at local government level, the causes and effects, and, finally, suggests ways of making the local government a viable service delivery institution.
The Concepts of Local Government, Sustainable Development and Democracy
The three key terms of our topic demand conceptual clarification and meaningful and purposeful analyses.
Democracy
Diamond, Linz, and Lipset ( 1989) see democracy as a system of government that meets three essential conditions: one, meaningful and extensive competition among individuals and groups, especially parties for all effective positions of government power at regular intervals, excluding the use of force; two, a highly inclusive level of political participation in the selection of leaders and policies, at least through regular and fair election, so that no major (adult) social group is excluded; and three, a high level of civil and political liberties, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom to form or join organization so as to ensure the integrity of political competition and participation (Diamond, et al., 1989). In a similar vein, Claude Ake (1991) perceives democracy in terms of principles of public accountability, widespread participation, and the consent of the governed.
Local Government
Local government is defined as government, by popularly elected bodies, charged with the administration and executive duties in matters concerning the inhabitants of a particular district or place (Appadorai, 1975). Agagu (1997) conceives the local government as a government at the grassroots level of administration meant for meeting peculiar needs of the people. In his analysis, he viewed local government as a level of government which is supposed to have its greatest impact on the people of the grassroots.
Dr. Lewis Akpogena
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E-mail: akpogena@yahoo.com
