Inter-governmental Relations of Local Governments in Nigeria (a Case Study of Oredo Local Government Edo State)
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study is Impact of Inter-governmental Relations on Local Government Administration in Nigeria, with particular reference to Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
Other objectives of the Study include
- To determine the relevance of inter-governmental relations in Nigeria
- To determine the main sources of conflict among the various levels of government in inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
- To recommend solutions to inter-jurisdictional conflict among the various levels of government.
- To recommend measures required for an improved inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
Melken, (1976:60) defines inter-governmental relations as a series of legal, political and administrative relationship established among units of government and which posses varying degrees of authority and jurisdiction autonomy.
Okoli, & Onah, (2002:256) defined inter-governmental relations as a system of transactions among structured levels of government in a state. Inter-governmental relations are seen as negotiation in which the parties are negotiating advantageous positions for power, money and problems-solving responsibility.
Etzion, (1975:80) sees inter-governmental relations as the relationship that takes place among the different levels of government within a given state. The implication of the foregoing is that inter-governmental relations connote cordial or harmonious relationship among the various levels of government and their agencies, be it at the Federal, State or Local Government levels. If we reduce our analysis squarely to a Federal, State, we will at once see that inter-governmental relationship is dominated by the association between the Federal Government and its federating units and other agencies and parastatals of government at all levels. The sphere of authority is very often defined and enshrined in the Federal Constitution. (Abonyi, 2007:5).
Intergovernmental relations can be defined as the interactions that take place among the different levels of government within a state. Usually, the concept is associated with states having a Federal administration system where the relationships between the Federal, Central or national Government and the major sub-national unit (province, region or state) are formally spelt out in the constitution and any re-arrangement must be through a constitutional amendment involving all the levels of government. Although, the emphasis in the analysis of inter-governmental relations (Inter-governmental Relations) is on Federal-State Relations, the full picture also includes how both levels relate to the Local Government units established within each state. The result, then, is that a full analysis of inter-governmental Relations within a Federal administration system must cover the following: Federal-State, Federal-State-Local, Federal-Local, Inter-State, State-Local and Inter-Local Relations (Ralph 2004:174).
The definition and sharing of the State as well as the resources to accomplish such goals is the primary thing in democratic system such, inter-governmental” sharing is normally done in the basis of perceived importance, coverage and capability of each level of government and especially in Federal democratic systems, it is enshrined in the country’s constitution. Secondly, another objective of the inter-governmental relations is bilateral or a multitude of pursuits of conflicting self-interest in the areas of first business undertakings, personnel and information exchanges, grants of extra-territorial rights in service delivery and the pooling and co-ordinations of resources and efforts, aimed at attaining greater economy and effectiveness in operations (Ofoeze, 2002:45).
According to Adamolekun (1983:39), this is the interaction that take place among the different levels of government within a country. In concept of Inter-governmental Relations, as earlier stated, is not the same thing as Federalism. While no single definition of Federalism is generally accepted, it can be described as the contractual and Legal Status between the national (Central) government and the states and to some extent between both the national and state governments and localities. Intergovernmental relations, however involved the while range of interactions among all types land levels of government (Bingham & Hedge, 1991:42)
Obi (2004:95), in his own view, sees IGR to mean the complex patterns of interactions, co-operations and inter- dependence between two or more levels of government. It is further described as a plethora of formal and informal relationships and transactions that develop among levels of government within a nation state. In Nigeria, for example, it refers to the interactions that exist among the Federal (Central or National) states and local governments, state and state interactions, state and local interactions or local and local interactions. All these put together refer to the pattern of intergovernmental relations.
To Olughemi (1980), IGR refers to a system of transactions among structured levels of government in a state. Intergovernmental relations is commonly associated with a federal system of Government, it is also applied in a unitary state where it referred to as the interactions between the National Government units.
In a unitary state, inter-governmental relations would be referred to as the interactions between the national government and the sub-national governments. However, the constitutional allocation of governmental functions between Federal and regional governments in a Federal system is absent. It is the central government that determined which functions it allocated to the sub-national governments. The central government can also decide to modify the functional allocations without consulting the lower units. Furthermore, the central government in a unitary state can unilaterally determine both the substance and the style of inter-governmental interactions. (Adamolekun (1983:45).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN
According to Nwogu (1991:50), a research is a plan or blueprint which specifies how data relating to a given problem should be collected and analyses. It provides the procedural outline for the conduct of any given investigation.
In defining design, Odo (1992:4), stated that design means ‘outlining’ the name of the equipment and other materials the researcher intends using and applying same to successfully execute the practical aspect of the research.
The researcher used descriptive survey method. The study involved a standardized instrument called Inter-Governmental Relations Description Questionnaire.
SOURCES OF DATA
The data used for this study were collected through two main sources, namely; Primary and Secondary sources of data.
PRIMARY SOURCE OF DATA
The primary source of data was obtained through the use of questionnaire which was designed and distributed to respondents by the researcher.
SECONDARY SOURCE OF DATA
The Secondary source of data was obtained from the review of related literature. In other Words, the researcher censured unpublished and published works, journals/periodicals and official documents with relevant ideas.
LOCATION OF STUDY
The study took place at Oredo Local Government Headquarters, Edo State.
POPULATION OF STUDY
For any researcher to collect information for a given research work, the researcher must specify the entire group that should embrace the information (Nworgu, 1991:71).
Silverthorne, Fisher and Fox, (1989:12), defined population as ‘”the totality of any group, persons or object which is defined by some unique attributes. Odo, (1992:54), suggests “that population is any group attention that has been focused upon by the researcher.”
The population of this study was collected from Oredo Local Government Headquarters. The population was, therefore, 533 staff, comprising of 203 Senior Staff and 330 Junior Staff. The population distribution table is presented below;
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
INTRODUCTION
This chapter deals with the presentation of data collected in the course of the study. The aim being to use the required data to understand the various situations as they are with a view to make invaluable recommendations and conclusion.
In analyzing the data collected, tables were used in the presentation of data. The simple statistical method of frequencies and percentage were applied. The research questions were also analyzed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
In this chapter, the researcher presents the summary of findings
based on the analysis of the data collected. As a result of findings, recommendations are made which invariably leas to the conclusion.
FINDINGS
The researcher discovered that the constitution made provision for inter-governmental relations in Nigeria, that the main areas of intergovernmental relations include administrative relations, financial/economic relations and jurisdictional relations, that inter-governmental relations in local Government in Nigeria is very relevant. Also they inter-relate with one another in pursuit of security and other allied matters.
The researcher further found out that the causes of conflict among the levels of government in Nigeria ranges from revenue allocation, resource distribution, allocation formula, jurisdictional control to administrative control. It can be seen that local government with few markets cannot raise much revenue thereby depending on the other tiers of governments for development. Resource distribution issues in a federation, give risk to a conflict between capacity and equality among the various units which form the federation.
Due to the inter-governmental relations among the three tiers of government, Federal government and state Government made local government stagnant in its operation and made them carryout their activities slowly. Local Governments are too dependent on the other tiers of government making them less autonomous.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings, the following recommendations have been made:
- A more specific construction should be provided in order for local government authorities to know how to relate among the levels of government and know to what extent their relationship among other levels of government is extended.
- All the levels of government should be part and parcel of policy formulation relating to the issues at hand.
- Federal and State government should include local government authorities in their programmes that affect rural development.
- The government should consider the local government while formulating allocation formula; this is in order for the local government to know how much resources are attributed to them annual.
- The government should distribute resources to them in order to help them develop and be independent
- Efforts must be made to avoid over-concentration of resources in few “poles of growth or centos of strength to maximize short run capacity in order to avoid crisis.
- Resources sharing must address the necessity for rapid development at the grassroots levels. As development gets entrenched at the grassroots levels, the Federal level will invariably relinquish some of her activities. This will necessitated reorganizing the resource sharing structure. For development to take place at the grassroots levels, horizontal distribution is very crucial, increasingly monitored and effected in order to move the nation forward.
- In order to put a stop to the causes of conflicts among the levels of government in Nigeria, government should provide a strategy for resource distribution, allocation formula, jurisdictional control and administrative control. Also administrative techniques for collaboration such as regular intergovernmental consultations and negotiations through certain institutions such as (state local government Joint Account Committee (JAC). The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission) should be encouraged.
- The Customary courts should therefore have the Constitutional power to hear disputes arising from inter-governmental transactions and to rule as they deem constitutionally proper.
CONCLUSION
From the research, the researcher concluded that local government due to the power given to it through the constitution, has its own autonomy share of resource distribution which helps it develop rapidly. Inter-governmental relations are an inevitable phenomenon in any Federal system or non-federating systems. It is of course very relevant. As long as the Nigerian Federation continues to survive, resources sharing adjustments will continue to feature as an important fiscal arrangement in the Federation; this will continue to play a vital role in the operation and structural interplay of the Federation.
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