LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY: A STUDY OF SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN NIGERIA

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY: A STUDY OF SELECTED
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN NIGERIA
ABUBAKAR, USMAN (Ph.D)
Department of Local Government and Development Studies
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Kaduna State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT
Arising from the dissatisfaction expressed by many nations with centralised approaches to
local service delivery, a large number of these countries have resorted to decentralising
responsibility to lower level elected governments for their provision. This study provides the
findings of a field survey carried out in three states from the North-west, South- East and
South- Western parts of Nigeria. From these states, three local government areas each: one
urban, semi urban and rural were surveyed with respondents comprising of the chairman, six
heads of departments and five councillors each from the local governments (9 number) and
the civil society comprising traders and market women association, traditional rulers, a
retired civil servants, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), National Union of Local
Government Employees (NULGE) and The Youth Association from each of the 9 local
governments surveyed. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted and the responses were
correlated and cross tabulated using the SPSS software. The result indicates a very weak
relationship between local government (decentralisation) as operational in Nigeria and
service delivery. Reasons for this development such as limited autonomy, high level
government interferences among others were highlighted and suggestions proffered to help
strengthen local governments in service provision.
Keywords: Local government, Decentralization and Service delivery
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