The 1976 Local Government Reform and Physical Planning Development in Nigeria
THE 1976 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM AND PHYSICAL PLANNING DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
S. A. Ifaturoti, Department of Estate Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Email: addyfax02@gmail.com Mobile Number: +234 706 270 9658
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Local governments are an integral part of government. It is similarly the tier of government that is closest to the people being governed, and so the most effective means through which higher governments- state and federal- institute their policy actions and monitor the developmental process. In Nigeria, there are 774 local governments spanning across the 36 states in the federation. Local government, which can be simply described as government at the local level has been defined by various scholars in different ways. In Ola (1984) the United Nations Office for Public Administration defines local government as:
A political subdivision of a nation or (in a federal system) State, which is constituted by law and has substantial control of local affairs including the powers to impose taxes or to exact labour for prescribed purposes. The governing body of such an entity is elected. Redmond (2007) defines Local Government as an agency organized to provide and supervise administrative, fiscal, and other services to the people who reside within its territorial boundaries. It is the level of government most directly accountable to the public. In the US, for example, local governmental units consist of five major types: county, town and township, municipality, special district, and school district.
Physical planning, on the other hand, has one secular definition provided by Lewis Keeble, as “the art and science of orderiing the use of land and the character and the siting of buildings and communication routes so as to secure the maximum practicable degree of economy, convenience and beauty.” Similarly, Luning defined it as “the systematic assessment of land and water, alternative patterns of land use and other physical,
S. A. Ifaturoti, Department of Estate Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Email: addyfax02@gmail.com Mobile Number: +234 706 270 9658
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Local governments are an integral part of government. It is similarly the tier of government that is closest to the people being governed, and so the most effective means through which higher governments- state and federal- institute their policy actions and monitor the developmental process. In Nigeria, there are 774 local governments spanning across the 36 states in the federation. Local government, which can be simply described as government at the local level has been defined by various scholars in different ways. In Ola (1984) the United Nations Office for Public Administration defines local government as:
A political subdivision of a nation or (in a federal system) State, which is constituted by law and has substantial control of local affairs including the powers to impose taxes or to exact labour for prescribed purposes. The governing body of such an entity is elected. Redmond (2007) defines Local Government as an agency organized to provide and supervise administrative, fiscal, and other services to the people who reside within its territorial boundaries. It is the level of government most directly accountable to the public. In the US, for example, local governmental units consist of five major types: county, town and township, municipality, special district, and school district.
Physical planning, on the other hand, has one secular definition provided by Lewis Keeble, as “the art and science of orderiing the use of land and the character and the siting of buildings and communication routes so as to secure the maximum practicable degree of economy, convenience and beauty.” Similarly, Luning defined it as “the systematic assessment of land and water, alternative patterns of land use and other physical,
References: ADAMOLEKUN, L. (1984): ‘The idea of Local Government as A Third Tier of Government Revisited: Achievements, Problems and Prospects’ Quarterly ournal of Administration Vol. Xviii, 344, April/July 1984. pp. 113. ADEYEYE (1995):The Military And Local Government Reforms in Nigeria: An Examination of A Paradox. The Nigerian Journal of Local Government Studies, (Vol. 5 No 1, September 1995) pp. 16-17. ADEKANYE, C.F. (1971): ‘Military Organization and Federal Society’, Quarterly Journal of Administration, (Vol. XVI, Nos 182, 981/82) pp. 5-10. AWOTOKUN, K. (2005): Local Government Administration Under 1999 Constitution in Nigeria. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (1976): Guidelines for Local Government Reform in Nigeria. Government Printer. Kaduna. IGBUZOR, O. (2002): Local Government Reform and Constitutional Review in Nigeria http://www.gamji.com/NEWS2676.htm MABOGUNJE, A.L. (1976): Regional Planning and The Development Process. London. Pp. 44. OLA, F.R. (1984): Local Administration in Nigeria. London, Kegan Paul International Plc. REDMOND, W.A. (2007): ‘Local Government’, Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]; Microsoft Corporation.