CHAPTER ONE
AN APPRAISAL: LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
1.0 General Introduction
1.1 Introduction
Local governments are potentially effective instrument for rural transformation and delivery of social services i.e. health care delivery.
This is because of local governments proximity to the people and the relative ease with which they can communicate with the local jurisdiction. The constitution guarantees the existence of system of democratically elected local councils and each State must enact legislation to establish same and provide for their structure.1
The project topic health care delivery in the local government is worth research considering the position of local government in any democratic society. This position seems to be particularly true of the democratic situation in Nigeria especially since it has been argued that the worst democratic system of government is better than the most benevolent military system of government.2
Democracy is thus a form of governments in which the highest premium is placed on the participation of the individual in government. Local government system within the three tiers of government brings governance to the citizen at the grass roots. This is mutadis in agreement with the doctrine of federalism, which is enshrined in the Nigeria constitution.
1See section of the Nigeria constitution 1999, Ebere D, The Federal Republic of Nigeria (International Association or centres for federal studies) pp. 1-2
2Oshilaya Owolabi S. et etal, Democracy and the Rule of law in Nigeria. The role of the Judiciary (F.H.L, Press 2008).
to the effect that, there exists three tier of government, the federal, states and local governments.3
Thus, in this project I shall consider local government as an organ of third tier of government within the Nigeria federal structure outside the central government that are concern with administrative function in the grass root. This is to bring out clearly the essential features of local governments as competent institution in the discharge functions constitutionally assigned in their own right.
Chapter one of the project is devoted to the general introductions to the project topic “Local Government and Health Care delivery in Nigeria”.
Chapter two of the project examines the definitions of local government as well as the concept of health care within local government system is examined with reference to its constitutionally assigned functions part of which is the provision of primary health care to the people at the grass root.
Chapter three of the project examines the third tier of governance in Nigeria. The structure and function of local government will be examined in this chapter.