Rural Development in Afikpo-North Local Government of Ebonyi State
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Volume 5, Issue 2, February – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ISSN No:-2456-2165 Rural Development in Afikpo-North Local Government of Ebonyi State Edmund Amaechi Egboh Ugwu Ogbonna Department of Political Science Department of Political Science Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria Nigeria Abstract Keywords:- Local government, rural development, Afikpo- North. Background The research work empirically examined rural I. INTRODUCTION development in Afikpo-North local government of Ebonyi state. Local governments are catalysts for socio-economic and political development of the rural areas. Local Problems governments, particularly in Nigeria are veritable An effective and development-focused local instruments for achievement of rural development goals.In government administration is a problem and challenge the opinion of the institutional theorists, government efforts that most local governments in Nigeria have not been to implement programmes designed to reshape the physical, able to solve. human and cultural environment require the development of highly functional and progressive structures The logic Methods here is that development does not exist in a vacuum but Primary and secondary data were employed for requires a functional machinery to make it happen. For this research work. A survey research design was development to be realized, there must be institutions that considered the most suitable approach in view of the must translate development decisions and plans into problem being investigated. A structured close ended concrete reality. Thus, the enormous task of rural questions were used to collect primary data from the development requires a permanent institutional structure respondents, this relates to section B of the with legal power to initiate, implement and sustain questionnaire where A 5-point Likert scale was adopted programmes with development consequences. More so, ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. these institutions must be assigned some clear –cut However, the secondary data was obtained from functional roles and matched with financial allocations textbooks, journals and internet. A total of three proportionate to their responsibilities. Consequently, rural hundred and ninety-nine copies of questionnaire were development in Afikpo-North local government have been distributed based on samples and random sampling bedeviled with a lot of problems such as corruption which technique while three hundred and seven- one copies have manifested in various forms and shapes such as were returned; this means 93% of samples were used embezzlement and and misappropriation of council funds, for the research work. Adopting structural- fraud through award of over-inflated and /phony contracts functionalism as its framework of analysis, the research most of which are not executed, financial kick-backs, employed both descriptive statistical and thematic deliberate falsification of financial records, outright stealing analysis in analyzing data sourced from questionnaire of council property, the employment of unqualified, and interviews with the aid of SPSS computer package. incompetent and unproductive persons leading to over- staffing and very high monthly waste bill which have led to Conclusion waste of funds that could have been utilized for The research concluded that Afikpo-North local development purposes. However, the enormous benefits government has not positively affected rural that the grassroots derive from local government is far from development in Ebonyi state. Furthermore, that rural reality even with the strength and capacity. Their autonomy development in Afikpo-North local government is is limited and they are not able to manage essential significantly affected by loss of autonomy/other factors. functions without assistance from state government. The Finally, that rural development in Afikpo-North local state government plays a dominant role in the formulation government will be significantly affected on of policies and their implementation. The local government establishment of a functional anti-corruption do not have significant independent sources of revenue and mechanism.The study suggests an enactment of an their entire development expenditure is met by the Federal effective disciplinary act for the local government government. Notwithstanding the acutedearth of fund system to curb especially the endemic problem currently facing the local government could be attributed to ofcorruption and to diversifyinternal revenue lack of creativity on the part of the local government in generation drive / initiate investment so as to boost seeking alternative sources to complement the allocation theirs services. from the federal account(Murana, 2005). Inspite of the clear evidence of structural and organizational adequacy, the IJISRT20FEB406 www.ijisrt.com 819 Volume 5, Issue 2, February – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ISSN No:-2456-2165 present Afikpo-North local government has woefully failed Nations: (1961), Whalen (1970), Mawhood (1983), Ola to really generate and concretize socio-economic and (1984), Olowu (1988), Ezeani (2004 and 2006), and Okoli political development of the local areas and their people. (2009) respectively. These features are as follows: This is evident in rural decay, mass unemployment, lack of basic amenities, such as electricity, portable water, health Localized: This particular feature implies that local care high rate of preventable diseases, illiteracy, low life government is the lower tier of government; it is the expectancy of rural people and high rate of infant mortality. government at the grassroots or local level. Consequently, An effective and development –focused local government local government is subordinate but subservient to the administration system in Nigeria in real terms is a problem central or federal or state governments. and challenge that most local government in Nigeria have not been able to solve. Afikpo-North local government is It is a legal existence enshrined in the constitution of generally believed to be non-independent, non-autonomous, Nigeria. This project is from arbitrary actions of higher forced to the people by the political elites and therefore authority as a legal entity. It can sue or be sued and has a unaccountable and inefficient in the performance of her perpetual succession. This implies that the life of a local duties. The general feeling is that an effective local government does not expire with the end of each government system is that one which involves the local administration. population in decision-making and provides for public accountability and service delivery but the case is lacking It enjoys substantial autonomy. Although local in Afikpo-North local government. Based on these, the government are subjects to state or federal government following questions were put forward controls in certain areas, they enjoy a reasonable degree of independence in administrative and financial affairs, such What is the character of developmental services in Afikpo- as the hiring control and discipline of their own staff and North local government? financial affairs, certain upper limit, the preparation of What are the constraints to rural development in Afikpo- annual estimates or budgets, and the execution of certain North local government? projects (Blair, 1977; Ozor, 2003). What steps could be taken to enhance development in Afikpo-North local government It exists within a defined territory. Consequently, the objectives of this study is as Local government exercises its authority over a given follows: to find out the character of development in Afikpo- population. In other words, as a corporate equity, the local North local government, to ascertain the reasons for poor government is created to serve resident citizen in a known performance in Afikpo-North local government and to territory. identify the steps that could be taken to enhance development in Afikpo-North local government. It exercises specific power and performs certain functions as enshrined in the constitution or statues (as the II. LITERATURE REVIEW case in Nigeria). The Concept of Local Government It is composed of elected representatives of the local The first difficulty in discussing local governments is people (Ola, 1984; Olisa 1990). definition. The working definition varies among scholars and practitioners in this field, there is no consensus on the Local government is usually divided into departments exact definition This concept has been defined in various divisions or units which facilitates the accomplishment of forms, depending on the salient considerations or personal its goals, objectives and functions (Ezeani 2006, p.256) idiosyncrasies of the scholars and practitioners. The Concept of Rural Development According to the guidelines, a local government is: According to Ollawa (1971) rural development means government at the local level exercised through the restructuring of the economy in order to satisfy the representative council established by law to exercise material needs and aspirations of the rural masses and to specific power within definite areas. These powers should promote individual and collective incentives to participate give the councils substitutive control over local affairs: as in the process of development. This involves a host of well as the staff and institutional and financial powers to multi-sectoral activities