An Assessment of Local Government Administration in Kwara State: a Study of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments (1999-2007)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AN ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN KWARA STATE: A STUDY OF BARUTEN AND ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS (1999-2007) BY ADAMU RASHIDA OYORU M.Sc/ADMIN/16912/2007 – 08 BEING A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA – NIGERIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF SCIENCE (M.Sc) IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA – NIGERIA AUGUST, 2010 DECLARATION I wish to sincerely declare that this thesis is the product of my effort and has not been presented in this form at any time or anywhere for the award of any degree. All relevant sources of information have been duly acknowledged by means of references. All errors and/or omissions are entirely mine. __________________ _________________ Adamu Rashida Oyoru Date ii CERTIFICATION This thesis titled: “An Assessment of Local Government Administration in Kwara State: A Study Of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Government Councils in Kwara State” by Adamu Rashida Oyoru meets the regulations governing the award of Masters of Science in Public Administration of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and is approved for its contribution to knowledge and literacy presentation. ________________________ ____________ ____________ Prof. A.A. Anyebe Signature Date Chairman, Supervisory Committee ________________________ ____________ ____________ Dr. John Ndan Signature Date Member, Supervisory Committee ________________________ ____________ ____________ Dr. S.B. Abdulkarim Signature Date Head of Department ________________________ ____________ ____________ Prof. A.A. Joshua Signature Date Dean, Postgraduate School iii DEDICATION This research work is dedicated to the Almighty Allah for sustaining my life to see the end of this programme, and to my beloved husband Mal. Adamu Ahmed Oyoru whose understanding and words of encouragement has ensured the successful completion of this course. Also to my children, Rahma and Abdulrahman Adamu Oyoru for their cooperation throughout my study period. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My profound gratitude goes to Prof. A.A. Anyebe for his good sense of direction which has helped to bring this work to a successful end. I sincerely thank my mum for her prayers and encouragement to enable me live a fulfilled life. My appreciation also goes to my brothers, sisters and in-laws for their support and encouragement. I also wish to extend my gratitude to all the lecturers, non-academic staff of Department of Public Administration and Dr. Usman Abubakar of Department of Local Government and Developmental Studies ABU, Zaria for their contribution towards the realisation of this academic dream. I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to my course mates especially Mr Samuel and Pastor Leo for their concern and care throughout my M.Sc programme. I cannot forget to extend my gratitude to Mallam Ishauk Abubakar Tamu, Mr Ibrahim Abdulkarim, Mr Mohammed Yahaya of Barutun Local Government and also Mallam Musa Idris, Mr Yusuf Ahmed and Mr. Jimoh Balogun of Ilorin West Local Government of Kwara State for their cooperation in providing me with the necessary information and materials for this research work. Finally, I sincerely appreciate the effort of Mr Gabriel whose patience and consideration helped to put the whole research work in beautiful prints. v ABSTRACT Local government is a body crated by law to provide a specified range of services to the local people because of the difficulty by the state to administered successful all her functions through the central organ. “After decades of the creation of local governments in Nigeria and the reforms they undergone, the development profile of our local communities remain woeful” inspite of the funds they received from both federal and state government over the years. Using Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments as case studies, this research study assess Local Government Administration in Kwara State. The essence of the research was to find out why there has been low grassroots development in Kwara and to proffer solution to this perennial issue. Based on this, the study has three objectives to determine which are as follows: whether or not the statutory allocation of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments is adequate for the development of the areas, to find out whether or not the funds allocated are utilised in ensuring development of these local governments, and to also find out whether or not there are other factors militating against development of both Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments in Kwara State. The scope of the study covers the period of 1999 – 2007 being a period of democratic government. Data for the study was generated from both primary and secondary sources. The instruments used for primary data include interview and questionnaire while secondary sources include, books, articles, unpublished materials and so on. Based on the formulated hypotheses which says that, the amount of statutory allocation received by Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments does not affect their developmental performance, and that interference of Kwara State government in the activities of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments has positively affects their performance we analysed data generated using tables, simple percentage and chi-square as statistical tools. And therefore the study reveals that, the amount of statutory allocation received by Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments affects their developmental performance, that Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments must seek for approval from the Kwara state government before embarking on any capital project, besides, that, the Kwara state government does not remit, the ten percent (10%) of her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to Baruten and Ilorin West local Governments and also that the operation of joint account among the local governments in Kwara state has hindered Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments from meeting the yearning of the people at the grassroots. Inline with the above findings, we recommended that tax base and financial allocation of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments should be increased and Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments should also judiciously make use of the available fund. Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments should be given freedom in carrying out their constitutional functions, autonomy to embark on viable projects and federal government should ensure that, state governments comply with the 10% remittance of her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to Local Governments and finally, federal government allocation to local governments should be direct funding from the Federal Government to Local Government’s Accounts. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page - - - - - - - - - i Declaration - - - - - - - - - ii Certification - - - - - - - - - iii Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - v Abstract - - - - - - - - - vi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study - - - - - - 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - 5 1.3 Objective of the Study - - - - - - 7 1.4 Hypotheses - - - - - - - - 7 1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study - - - - - 8 1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - - - 9 1.7.1 Method of Data Collection - - - - - - 10 1.7.2 Method of Data Analysis and Presentation - - - 10 1.7.3 Sampling Techniques - - - - - - 11 1.8 Definition of Terms - - - - - - - 12 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - 13 2.2 Concept of Local Government - - - - - 13 2.3 Evolution of Local Government Administration in Nigeria - 15 2.3.1 Pre-Colonial Period - - - - - - - 15 2.3.2 The Colonial Period - - - - - - - 17 2.3.3 Post – Colonial Period - - - - - - 19 2.4 Status and Functions of Local Governments in the 1999 Constitution 22 2.5 Need for Local Government - - - - - 25 2.6 The Contribution of Local Government to Development - 28 vii 2.7 Review of Past Empirical Studies - - - - - 34 2.8 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - 36 CHAPTER THREE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF BARUTEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT 3.1 History of Baruten Local Government - - - - 41 3.2 History of Baruten Local Community - - - - 42 3.3 Economic Activities - - - - - - - 46 3.4 Education, Health and Tourism - - - - - 47 3.5 History of Ilorin West Local Government - - - - 47 3.6 History of the Local Community - - - - - 49 3.7 The Economic Activities - - - - - - 50 3.8 Education, Health and Tourism - - - - - 51 3.9 Structure and Administration of Baruten and Ilorin West Local Governments - - - - - - - 52 3.9.1 The Local Government Council - - - - - 52 3.9.2 The Chairman - - - - - - - 53 3.9.3 The Vice Chairman - - - - - - - 53 3.9.4 The Secretary - - - - - - - 54 3.9.5 The Director of Personnel - - - - - - 54 3.9.6 Portfolio and Non-Portfolio Councillors - - - - 54 3.9.7 Special Adviser (Political) to the Chairman - - - 55 3.9.8 The Internal Auditor - - - - - - 55 3.9.9 Area Auditor - - - - - - - - 55 3.9.10 Local Government Inspector - - - - - 56 3.9.11 Traditional Council - - - - - - - 56 3.9.12 Health Department - - - - - - - 57 3.9.13 Education Department - - - - - - 57 3.9.14 Agriculture Department - - - - - - 57 3.9.15 Works - - - - - - - - 58 viii 3.9.16 Finance - - - - - - - - 58 3.9.17 Women Unit - - - - - - - - 58 3.9.18 Personnel Department - - - - - - 58 3.9.19 Registries - - - - - - - - 59 CHAPTER FOUR DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - 61 4.2 Test of Hypothesis One - - - - - - 64 4.3