LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT AS PERCEIVED BY THE PEOPLE OF IFELODUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Ekiti State University.
Abstract
Local government is seen as the third level of government by the local government reform' of 1976 in Nigeria, also backed
by the 1999 constitution as amended It was given the power to act on its own and at its own discretion with minimal
control from the state government. It was also saddled with the responsibility of developing the areas that are close to it.
However, it has met with various problems and challenges that have hindered its effective performance. These challenges
have been attributed to the overriding function of the state governments, lack of autonomy, corruption and embezzlement
among others. It is based on this that the study set out the objectives which include examining whether local government
autonomy can lead to rural development; and knowing whether people's full participation in the democratic process of
choosing their local government leaders will lead to rural development. The study then achieved these objectives by using
a two-stage sampling method to select 200 respondents from Ifelodun local government of Kwara state; Nigeria.
Conclusion was made from the findings based on the results derived from the chi-square calculated with the aid of SPSS,
that local governments have not been able to perform their functions adequately majorly due to lack of autonomy. The
research work recommended based on these findings that local governments should be given full autonomy and adequately
funded for them not to become puppets for state governments.
Description
Keywords
Rural development, Local government, Reform
Citation
Raji, A., Mohmoh, M.D., Raji, K.O. & Adeshina, I.O. (2017): Local Government Reform and Rural Development as Perceived by the People of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. Journal of Health and Social Issues (JOHESI). 6(1); 114-120, Published by Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Ekiti State University.