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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:The Strengthening of Local Governments and the Operation of Federalism in Nigeria
Author:Osaghae, Eghosa E.ISNI
Year:1989
Periodical:Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics
Volume:27
Issue:3
Period:November
Pages:347-364
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:local government
local government reform
Politics and Government
External link:https://doi.org/10.1080/14662048908447574
Abstract:After briefly examining the place of local governments in federal systems in a comparative and general way, the author looks at the strengthening of local governments in Nigeria following the 1976 Local Government Reforms. In the area of finance, the reforms not only streamlined the sources of revenue for local governments, but also, for the first time, gave them statutory allocations by the federal and State governments. The 1979 Constitution adopted the reforms' major points and guaranteed the existence of local government as a level of government. In practice, however, local governments remained basically subordinate units of State governments during the Second Republic. Following the overthrow of the Second Republic and the reinstatement of military rule in 1983, concerted efforts have been made to continue from where the 1976 reforms left off. Military governments in fact have a far better record of local government than civilian governments, which use them primarily for political ends. However, in a system where local government 'autonomy' is 'autonomy by decentralization' and is not derived from any constitutionally guaranteed non-centralization, local governments, faced with strong State government opposition, have failed to become effectively autonomous. Notes, ref.
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