LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Nigeria is regarded as a developing country and this informs, the ideas that her rural communities, which are part of the entire political system is struggling, to facilitate socio-economic growth. Idemili South Local Government Area in Anambra State, which represents a good sample of rural administration in Nigeria reflects a number of rural development concerns.
According to Dike, V. (2006), Local Government Area’s are supposed to be engines of national development. A rural community, grows into a bustling city and the local leader makes this possible. Idemili South Local Government Area was created out of Idemili Local Government Area in 1989. It is bounded on the north by Idemili Local Government Area, on the east, by Anaocha Local Government Area, on the South by Nnewi North and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas and on the west by Ogbaru Local Government Area. However Idemili South Local Government Area is not immune to the challenges of rural development in Nigeria. According to Arowolo, D. (2008), as important as this tier of government, there seems to be some impediments, that have been infringing on its performance and functions in recent times. These impediments range from political to include, interference by the higher levels of Government i.e federal and state governments, bribery and corruption, embezzlement and gross inadequacy of well-trained and qualified personnel to mention a few.
This study therefore is an investigation of the perceived challenges in rural administration, using Idemili South Local Government as a case study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Despite the justification of Local Government and its importance to the people at the grassroots level, this tier of government, in practice seems not to have justified the reasons for which it was established. The questions that summarily come to one’s mind are: why has local government administration not lived up to its expectation such as in Idemili South Local Government Area? What are the causes of this seemingly conspicuous weakness? What are the challenges of the local government? And how can this weaknesses be corrected and the challenges overcome?
The problem of Idemili South Local Government Area seems multifarious and it is the preoccupation of this study, to explain them in details.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The major objective of this study, is to examine the perceived challenges of rural administration in Idemili South Local Government Area in Anambra State.
Other specific objectives include determining if government revenue is appropriately and sufficiently utilized.
To determine whether these perceived challenges are actually, the main elements that forestall rural development in Idemili South Local Government Area.