12-10-2012, 12:03 PM
THE IMPACT OF POOR REVENUE GENERATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS
THE IMPACT OF POOR.pdf (Size: 334.23 KB / Downloads: 24)
ABSTRACT
Revenue generation is the nucleus and the path to modern development.
Thus, the study was to assess the impact of poor revenue generation on the
development of Local Government Areas. This is because local government
as the third tier of government and the closest to the people especially in the
rural areas needed revenue to provide basic social amenities to the people.
But it is unfortunate to note that the local government management have not
lived up to expectation especially to provide basic social amenities to the
rural people. Thus, the objective of the research was to analyze the extent to
which poor revenue generation had affected the development of those areas.
The researcher used primary and secondary methods of data collection to
generate the needed data. The data obtained through questionnaire was
presented in tables and expressed in simple percentages. The following were
some of the findings which included poor development of the areas, lack of
basic social amenities to the rural people and lack of revenue to maintain
the existing infrastructures. The researcher therefore recommended that the
local government should provide basic amenities of high quality. By doing
so, the people’s interest would be geared towards giving their maximum
support to the local government which would lead to the development of the
rural area.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Development is a sine qua non for modern civilization. In
a crusade and struggle to carryout development at all nooks and
crannies of the society, the local government as the tier of government
that is nearest to the people is saddled with the responsibility of direct
development of the people to a certain level.
Development is highly associated with fund, much revenue
is needed to plan, execute and maintain infrastructures and facilities
at the local government level. The needed revenue generated for
such developmental projects. Like construction of accessible roads,
building of public schools, health care centers, construction of bridges
among others are soles generated from taxes, royalties, haulages, fines
and grants from states, national and international governments.
Thus, the Local government cannot embark, execute and
possibly carryout the maintenance of these projects and other
responsibilities without adequate revenue generation.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Local Government Council take direct care of the
grassroots people, that is the people in the rural areas. This group
of people sometimes lack essential facilities and condition of
modern civilization. They lack pipe bore water to drink, do not have
electricity, accessible roads, poor educational infrastructure and
facilities to mention but a few.
This is one of the major reasons of rural – urban migration of
movement. This has made our cities to be congested and increase in
many criminal activities. Based on the above and foregoing assertions,
it is obivious that the impact of poor revenue generation on the
development of the rural area is a serious problem. This might be as a
result of poor revenue generation. If Nigeria is to achieve her desired
goal of vision 2020 and possibly meet the millennium development
goals (MDGS) target, the issue of revenue generation must be
addressed squarely.
DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA
The evolution of local government in Nigeria has under
gone alots of changes. These are all geared towards making the
local government a system that could serve the purposes for which
they are created, before the emergence of the British Colonial/
Administration; various communities in Nigeria were governed
through the instrumentality of their traditional political Institutions.
These institutions were anchored on the people’s habits of thought,
prestige and custom which are adapted to meet the new conditions for
general development of their areas.
Local authorities were empowered to charge and collect
developmental rates based on a certain percentage of the income of
the rate payers. The council enjoyed the social autonomy of providing
certain social services to the community, for instance the local
government was vested with the responsibility of healthcare services
delivery with the transfer of primary healthcare delivery system.