LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF DELTA STATE

Abstract

The major aim of government is to provide services that make life worthwhile. Local government plays critical role in assuring the efficacy, availability and accessibility of amenities to the huge local residents. The local governments struggle with certain factors that affect their service-delivery as well as economic development. Autonomy, funding, corruption and leadership are central to these factors as they could be responsible for the sluggishness in the economic development of the Delta State Local Government Areas (LGAs). This study therefore examines the effect of local government administration on the economic development in Delta State. The study adopted historical research design which is qualitative in nature. The study made use of secondary sources of data such as books, journal articles, newspaper articles, periodicals, internet materials, among others. The Efficiency Services Hypothesis was adopted as its theoretical framework which is premise on the fact that local governments are created for the purpose of decentralisation of the powers of the state, therefore, efficient services at the local government level cannot be provided adequately without decentralisation of the powers and functions of government. The study finds out that service delivery in local governments in the country, including the twenty-five (25) LGAs in Delta State is tied to granting of autonomy, funding and good leadership which are the major variables that have positive and significant relationship with economic development of the local government areas. To achieve the much desired socio-economic development at each local government areas in Delta state, the local government should be given autonomy; corruption is not the major issue in the local government administration, but leadership. If leadership issues are adequately addressed, then corruption will be completely erased from the local government in Nigeria, particularly in Delta State.