LOCAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM FAILURE IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC: CHALLENGES AND THE EXIGENCY OF A PARADIGM SHIFT FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

In the public domain since the inception of the fourth republic myriads of concerns have been raised with respect to the status of local government system in Nigeria. The level of systemic decay and inefficiency is daunting and thus gives cause for concern. This prevailing scenario juxtaposes the objectives of the 1976 reforms and others. Thus over the decades, rather than project local governance in positive light of the much touted autonomy as a third tier of government, it has rather remained mere toddler in the hands of state governments; thereby robbing it of the capacity and ability to provide effective governance and development at the grassroots level. Perturbed by the above problems, this paper seeks to explore the present plight of local governance in Nigeria, which is incongruous with popular expectations and aspirations in a model federal arrangement. The paper employs qualitative approach in extracting relevant data from secondary materials. In the first instance the paper identifies several challenges confronting local governance system in Nigeria; mostly political, legal and administrative, which are largely responsible for its comatose state and which are derivatives of its seemingly mortgaged status as a tier of government. The paper proposes a paradigm shift built on urgent need to reforming existing reforms through constitutional amendment to clearly spell out the political and financial autonomy of local government system in Nigeria. This will in no small measure help to unburden the continued emasculation of local governance by over-bearing state governors and make it responsive to meeting the developmental needs of the rural populace.