CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE STUDY
The concept of Intergovernmental relations is associated with
states having a Federal Administration system where the relationships between
the Federal, Central or National Governmental and major sub-national unit
(province, region or state) formally spect out in constitution. Intergovernmental relations have been seen as
a system of transactions among structured levels of government in a state. It is also seen as registration in which the
parties are negotiating advantageous positions for power, money and
problems-solving responsibility (Olugbemi: 1980).
The goals of intergovernmental relations are said to be to promote
peace and harmony among the three tiers of government, which are the Federal,
State and Local Government. To
accelerate the achievement of self-reliant economy. In so doing, inter-governmental relations
will help to minimize inter-jurisdictional conflicts among the various levels
of government. Also to boost greater
natural economic integration through the activities of the three levels of
government. Again to enhance the
emergence of co-operative rather than competitive Federation there is also need
to enhance effective and efficient utilization of available human and material resources
among the three levels of government. To
help solve the problem of rural and urban poverty. To achieve a situation where there is special
need for integrating programmers on a nation wide scale. To look into the situation where states,
local government or unit of the federal set up have responsibilities with no
resources base to perform them (John Nwafor: Unpublished work).
The achievement of the objectives of inter-governmental relations
is dependent on some social factors within the Nigerian social System. Some social factors include the political
setting and the state of the economy in the nation. Looking at the political setting, the
inter-governmental relations is basically based on the three tiers of
government that is the Federal, State and Local Government. But come to look at that, the Federal and
State Government is said to have more autonomy than the local government due to
the fact that they are the last tier of government (John Nwafor: Unpublished
work). That is why local government is
not given its full autonomy to do things on its own. The other tiers of the government still tell
them what to do, how to make their own policies, how to elect/appoint those to
rule them like the Chancellor or Chairmen and so on. Local Government is still
dependent on the other tiers of government making them too subordinate and
loyal for my liking (Nwokedi, Ralph: 2002).
To this, there should be greater independence of the state and
local governments in the Federal Government for their survival and performance
of fundamental responsibilities. There
should also be several reforms which should let to the recognition of the local
government as the third tier of government with relative autonomy and jurisdictional powers as
provided for in the constitutions.
Another problem is the state of the nation’s economy. The nation’s economy really influenced the
nature and scope of intergovernmental relations in the local government in
Nigeria. The wealth of any nation is a
key factor in determining its pattern of material relation. Between 1960 and 1970, the basis of fiscal
relations between the Federal, State and Local Government were richer and more
powerful than the local government. But
these problem will come to an end if the local government has greater control
of the tax revenue. The local government
should control 50% of the tax revenue allocation of its area without the
Federal or State government interference.
They should also receive grants and aids from outside and within the
country, making them powerful and independent of their own. Their federation Allocation Account should be
granted to them annually or monthly as the case may be. They should be allowed to run their affairs
especially when it comes to monetary matters.
(F Okoli and Onah O, 2002).
In so doing, channel of communication should be at its high level
between the Federal, State and Local Government in order to produce an effective result. This is because without one another there
would not be effectiveness due to the fact that an inter-governmental relation
is relationship between the three tiers of government.
1.2
STATE OF THE
PROBLEM
To appreciate the depth of crisis in the Federal system in
Nigeria, one has to follow the recent trend of the raging controversy between
the Federal and State Governments over the exercise of power or control of
revenue resources of local government on how not to have assumed the undue
Prominence given to it as a constitutional question if Nigerian Leaders,
particularly the Federal level had adhered strictly to the norms of federalism
and followed the precedents established by the past democratic governments in
Nigerian federation.
In Nigeria, the issue of sharing resources among the three levels
of government has remained controversial due to lack of acceptable
formular. It generates tension and bad
blood among the three tiers of government.
This has resulted in setting up of different committees or commissions
to prescribe the formular to be used.
Also there exists a conflict between the Federal, State and Local
government over acceptable formular for sharing revenue. For instance, the conflict is usually whether
the principle of derivation, need, natural interest or landmass should be used
as a basis for the purpose. Even when
these principles may be generally accepted as the main basis for working out
revenue allocation formular, conflict might arise following as to which of the
principles takes precedence over others as the main criteria for sharing the
revenue.
This is the problem of tax jurisdiction, which refers to the
problem of which aspect of government should collect what revenue over a
particular area. These have been serious
problems between the Federal, State and Local Governments. Their share of tax revenue seriously affects
local governments. They are the lowest
level of government. Likewise they
collect the least amount of tax revenue, which makes them still stagnant.
Another problem is the existence of control of one level of
government by another in any aspect (Abonyi, 2005). Local government is domination by the Federal
and State governments. They do not have
their own autonomy making them too dependent on the other levels of
governments. Mention must be made of the
problem of finding the best method of channeling revenue from one level of
government to another especially from the Federal to the Local Government.
(Ugwu, 1998:90).
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study is IMPACT OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA, with particular reference to Nkanu East Local
Government Area of Enugu State.
Other objectives of the Study include
(i)
To determine
the relevance of inter-governmental relations in Nigeria
(ii)
To determine
the main sources of conflict among the various levels of government in
inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
(iii)
To recommend
solutions to inter-jurisdictional conflict among the various levels of
government.
(iv)
To recommend
measures required for an improved inter-governmental relations in Nigeria.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great benefit to Nkanu East Local Government
of Enugu State. This is because it will
be exposed to the challenges it is facing in inter-government relations.
It would also be of great significance to researchers by way of making
them aware of problems that have been uncovered by these
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