Suchergebnisse

The study was prompted by the abiding concern for the continuous existence of failed and abandoned projects in Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja. The study investigates the extent to which funding, change of government, existing project monitoring mechanisms and workforce affect the implementation of rural development projects of the Council. Content and thematic analysis aided by Nvivo11was used for the analysis of the interview. Multiple regression was used for hypothesis testing. The finding indicates that the four (4) factors impacted the Area Council's implementation of rural development programs. However, the relative contributions of each factor differed in order of ranking. Change of government and funding, with standardized coefficients of (.414) and (.266), were found significantly responsible for the incidence of failed and discontinued projects in the Council. The study recommends project continuity for succeeding governments and that efforts to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) be scaled up.

In the general discourse on the local government system in Nigeria, two major influences are notable: the intervention of the military in politics, and the 1976 reform of local government. However, the 1979 constitution, which provided the legal framework for the 1976 reforms, plunged the local government system into a crisis of identity, and ever since local government in Nigeria has remained an idea in search of relevance. This paper examines both the inherent weakness of the constitutional foundation and the contradictions created by the 1976 reforms. Using a theoretical analysis, the paper finds that the combined effects of constitutional gaps and reform contradictions have rendered Nigeria's system of local government an unfortunate 'orphan', and that, lacking a strong constitutional foundation, local government in Nigeria has been subject to the whims of both state and federal governments. The paper argues that, despite numerous constitutional developments, current constitutional provisions for local government in Nigeria leave much to be desired. The recommendations to improve the system include that: local government should be given the status of a federating unit in the constitution, with its powers and functions clearly spelt out; the constitutionally mandated State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA) should be abolished; and the constitution should be amended to create a chapter which guarantees the identity and autonomy of local government as a third tier of government.

In the general discourse on the local government system in Nigeria, two major influences are notable: the intervention of the military in politics, and the 1976 reform of local government. However, the 1979 constitution, which provided the legal framework for the 1976 reforms, plunged the local government system into a crisis of identity, and ever since local government in Nigeria has remained an idea in search of relevance. This paper examines both the inherent weakness of the constitutional foundation and the contradictions created by the 1976 reforms. Using a theoretical analysis, the paper finds that the combined effects of constitutional gaps and reform contradictions have rendered Nigeria's system of local government an unfortunate 'orphan', and that, lacking a strong constitutional foundation, local government in Nigeria has been subject to the whims of both state and federal governments. The paper argues that, despite numerous constitutional developments, current constitutional provisions for local government in Nigeria leave much to be desired. The recommendations to improve the system include that: local government should be given the status of a federating unit in the constitution, with its powers and functions clearly spelt out; the constitutionally mandated State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA) should be abolished; and the constitution should be amended to create a chapter which guarantees the identity and autonomy of local government as a third tier of government.

This study attempted to determine the factors militating against effective social services administration and its unfolding empirical manifestations on the well-being of the rural dwellers in Gwagwalada Area Council in Abuja, Nigeria as well as its attendant effects on rural development. Based on the data generated from 200 respondents (rural residents and staff of the area council) using questionnaire, interview and personal observation, it was discovered that lack of involvement of the rural dwellers in decisions regarding the design and implementation of the social service programmes by the Council is one of the key factors. The paper recommends accordingly among others, that effective social services administration should reflect the wishes and aspirations of beneficiaries.