Corruption and Local Government Administration in Nigeria
Chapter One
Objectives Of The Study
The purpose of this study is to;
- Explain what corruption is and trace the history of corrupt practices in Nigeria.
- To explain what local government is and give its functions.
- Examine the types of corrupt practices in local government administration.
- To examine the effects of corruption in local government administration.
- To investigate why corruption is very common in local government administration.
- To suggest solutions on how to reduce corrupt practices in local administration.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual and Theoretical Explanations Conceptual Framework
Within the disciplinary parameters of social science, the issue of definition of concepts has not been problem free. This has been largely due to the eclectic nature and paradigmatic dispositions of respective disciplines within the field (Adeyemi, 2012). It is imperative to clarify major concepts in the paper in order to situate them within the context of our analysis. Also, our analysis should be guided by a theoretical understanding of the subject matter that will help elucidate the point we shall make. However, the three key terms of our topic demand conceptual clarification and meaningful and purposeful analyses. These are; corruption, local government and democracy.
CONCEPT OF CORRUPTION
Anybody who can say that corruption in Nigeria has not become alarming is either a fool, a crook or else does not live in this country … ” (Achebe, 1981, in Gabriel, 2007). Ideal democratic orientation of any contemporary society presumes citizenry participation in the governance of his or her society. In order to showcase adequate involvement of people in decision making processes and belief towards governance in the context of democratic values – grassroots government was established. As a result of the complexity of corruption, its effects on the systemic existence of its victims as does its prevalence through the efforts of its perpetuators, its definition has continued to be shrouded by value preference and differences (Akindele and Adeyemi, 2011).
The understanding of corruption connotes inappropriate act of people economically, politically, socially and culturally. Irrespective- of the sectorial aspect of corruption enmeshed, its evaluation could be underscored on the premise of societal prevailing orientation that mandated ones behaviour socially, economically, politically or culturally. According to the World Bank and Transparency International (TI), a leading global anticorruption watchdog, corruption is the abuse of public office for private gains for the benefit of the holder of the office or some third party. Viewed from these definitions, political corruption can be broadly understood as unethical behaviour, which violates the norms of the system of political order (Heidenheimer and Johnston, 1993). Nwabueze (2002:128) in his own contribution adopted a sociological approach to the definition of corruption. He conceptualized corruption in the following way:
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This topic the effect of transparency in financial management and accountability of local government councils in Nigeria is actually a vast area of study. At least we do recognize the uniqueness of the local government council.
Though they are much local government council in Lagos state, the research recast restricted her choice to Ikeja local government council.
This chapter discusses how data were source by the researcher, research design, and population of the study, sample design and technique, sources of data collection, instrument for data collection validity and reliability of the instrument and method of data analysis.
RESEARCH DESIGN
The design of the study is the description of various processes to be undertake for the successful completion of the work. The research is a descriptive survey research. The design will be used in making decision on the data sourced research instrument sampling, plan and content method. This is to enable the researcher obtain response and draw conclusion on the research problem
POPULATION OF THE STUDY.
The staff in the administrative department accounting department and others department of Bende local government councils under investigation formed the population of the study since it would be impossible for the researcher to study and investigate all the staff and officials responsible for the information sort for.
About 108 staffs were involved in the various places since the research cannot reach to all the people concerned.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter focuses on the presentation and analysis of data as provided by the questionnaires distributed and collected from respondents. Also hypothesis was formulated and their validity test against the information gathered from the respondents using z-test and percentage.
The researcher distributed eighty-five(85) questionnaires to the respondents . The formulated hypothesis will also be tested with the aid of necessary tables and statistical figures. In the course of this study, 85 questionnaires was distributed to Administrative management and internal auditing in Bendel local government councils, in the proportion of 55 questionnaires to Administrative management, which represents 55 percent of the population size and . 35 questionnaires to internal auditing which also represents 35 percent of the population size .
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary Of Findings
The following findings were made from the hypotheses tested.
Local government council has adopted accountability and transparency as a good check corruption in financial and non-financial activities which is capable of producing desired result
The inhabitants within the local government council have benefited from the proceed of accountability and transparency in improvement of social amenities.
The process of accountability and transparency has affected the official and non-official corrupt behavioral attitudes of council staff in Nigeria.
COUNCLUSION
Despite the likelihood that the introduction of EFCC, ICPC and due process in the system of government for proper accountability and transparency in financial management of Nigerian local government council. The management of the local council needs to meet up with a lot of measures in place for proper accountability and transparency. These include the following:
The officials of the local government council should Endeavour to adhere properly to the procedure established by them for such control of council fund.
The staff of the council should be adequately motivated to detach their mind from any corrupt practices.
The council officials (especially the chairman) should be audited by the external auditor yearly before they vacate from their office for proper accountability and transparency.
The council should make sure that the revenue collection of it should be contracted out; proper returns should be made by the agent.
Training and re-training programmes and seminars should be organized periodically for the members and staff of the council to increase their moral and ensure efficiency and effectiveness in doing their work.
The research work was painstakingly conducted to educate people in the importance of proper accountability and transparency is all about. There is need for proper supervision of the council staff and officials to ensure that, they are efficiently and effectively monitored and managed in line with the constitution adopted for the local government council in the country.
This research has gone further to discourage any council that have a weak internal control system rather the councils should employ more dedicated and capable hands to argument the existing ones.
RECOMMENDATIONS
After more careful evaluation of transparency in financial management and accountability in Nigerian local government council and having seen the adverse effect of improper accountability in the government system, to remain silent over these will endanger the rapid development of property in the local government council in the country.
In the light of this, the following recommendations were made based on my finding during this research work.
1) First and foremost, the recommendation is to advice readers to conduct further research on this topic because the findings so far are based on the data collected and analyzed. Therefore, this research should not be regarded as sacred.
2) The accounting working system of the council should be computerized, since most of the systems are done manually.
3) There should be adequate sensitization through workshops, seminars and lectures on the need for transparency and accountability in the government system.
4) The researcher equally recommends that the staff employed to man sensitive position like the cashier, accountant, secretary to mention but a few, should be qualified with no qualification less than B.SC or HND in the relevant professions.
5) The government should build an in-house ICPC, EFCC and due process office in all the local government councils. This will go a long way to deter any fraudulent practices which can lead to improper accountability and transparency in the system.
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