Local Government Reforms and Effective Governance in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines the local government reforms and effective governance in Nigeria. The study began with the premise that local government as a tier of government in the country is the most important institution that could guarantee sustainable development at the grass root level. This could be seen from the functions and roles vested in the institution as contained in amended Nigeria’s 1999 constitution. However, the study reviews that the performance of the local government as it relates to grass root development in the country is quite dismal largely due to poor management of resources, lack of autonomy, inadequate local leadership, and poor governance. With the aid of qualitative instruments, the study shows that institutionalization of good governance is one of the best strategy for sustainable development at the local level. This could be achieved through constructive engagement in policy design and implementation, the institutionalization of accountability standards in local government procurement, the acquisition of competent professional civil servants, and compliance with public service ethical code as major ways through which sustainable development could be guaranteed at the local level. The study further concluded that enforcement of local government autonomy, improving the collection and utilization of local internally generated revenue as well as close collaboration between local government and relevant government agencies as ways for the institutionalization of good governance and by extension sustainable development at the local government level.