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THE APPRAISAL OF FINANCIAL CONTROL APPROACHES IN NIGERIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

In consonance with its transition of civil rule programme by the federal government this year, a lot of changes are being carried out in the local government. First was the election of the local government chairman and councilors on the 12th December 1987, followed by the appointment of sole administrators and replaced by the caretaker committee in 1990.  The current changes include the elected councilors forming he legislature and the secretary appointed supervisory, education etc. as is obtained in the sate government. These spectacular actions of the federal government has given credence to new directions in the operation of the local government system in Nigeria (Nzelibe, 1990). It is further to be noted that the federal government from ten percent to twenty five percent, in addition to the ten percent state generated revenue and the internal sources available to them. With all these funds now available to them and the increase in their responsibilities especially the funding of primary school education, it becomes more important than before that the accounts of the local government should be audited in order to ensure that the money is judiciously used and channeled to the projects meant for them. In this direction, this research work tries to find out the problem associated with financial control in Enugu south local government so as to proffer solution in order to make the local government more efficient and capable of rendering the services for which it were established.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria local government system is as old as Nigeria creation. Even before the arrivals of the British to Nigeria and introduction of modern system of local government, the traditional system of local government exists. However, with traditional system of governance, which was administered by local people, the issue of financial control more often than not generates problem between the operator and the governed and a times between the operators themselves. During the colonial rule the British divided Nigeria into regions, districts and division. The districts were then like what we call today local government areas. While the central government controls the entire country, it gave the subordinate unit some degree of independence in the control of its affairs and provision of certain amenities in the local areas.

Prior to the lunching of the 1976 local government reforms, all regional (states) government without acceptors created, modified and manipulated local government   system and institutions as considered expenditure. The practice was not suitable and these brought about for a uniform local government  system. It is on these grounds that a new local government   system popularly called “1976 local government   reforms” metamorphosed. Ugwu, (1991: 11) states that is therefore the quest for effectiveness, good functioning and reliability of our local government   system that brought about this decentralization of the power of the federal government by the 1976 local government   reforms.

According to paragraph seven of the 1976 local government   reforms, the term tier if design as a set of local government   with their own identity powers and source of revenue established under state legislation and with the function for which they have been responsible to the state. The guide line equal articulated the following objectives of the new local government   reforms. 1)  To enable the people to service and activities in their communities through their representative bodies.2) To mobilize human and material resources through the involvement and participation of the people in the programme for the development of their communities.

3) To create favourable condition for democratic development initiative and qualities among the people. 4) To enhance the sense of belonging and security through the effective communities and between the local government   communication and the three levels of government in Nigeria. 5) To provide a two way channel of communication between local communities and government (both state and federal(6) To bring government nearer to the people and guarantee reasonably, adequate functions, financed resources and staff for local government. It is important to state that despite the various reforms that were equally other structural led to the creation of local government   in Nigeria from 229 in 1977 to 301 in 1987. In 1989 we had 589 and presently we have 774 local government   areas in Nigeria. Enugu south local government   areas which we used as a case study was created in 1991 by the general Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida led administration it is therefore, necessary to state despite all the guidelines structural and management and managerial reforms, all the financial control approaches in the local government   system have not achieved maximum result and is in this basic that there is the need for the study.

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