IMPROVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE THROUGH FINANCIAL AUTONOMY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT NIGERIAN STATE
IMPROVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE THROUGH FINANCIAL AUTONOMY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT NIGERIAN STATE

Summary/Abstract: Globally, the practice and performance of local government has been said to be a sure but effective strategy for ensuring governance and development at the grassroot. Interestingly this is different to the Nigerian experience, our local government system remained imprisoned by financial miscarriage, mismanagement and its effect has negated one among the reason deter for the establishment of local government which is to bring development closer to the grassroot populace. The objective of the study is to see how improved local government performance can be enhanced through strengthening of their autonomy and financial accountability with Lagos state as a focus. This study is basically theoretical and it’s based on institutional and stakeholder theory. The study discovered financial control in local government remains at its lowest ebb, scarcity of resources and lack of political leadership among others. It recommends among others that the state joint local government account should be revisited to deliver local government from the claws of the state government and grant her autonomy, Also local government needs to enshrine transparency in their finances to enhance performance, exploit internal sources of revenue generation and e-payment, e-receipt as measures to promote financial accountability in the system. The study concluded that the contribution of financial accountability will facilitate the smooth provision of public social service at the local government, control corruption and enhance both the financial and political autonomy of the local government.

• Details
• Contents