SS2 Second Term Government Lesson Note – Local Government: Structure of Local Government

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WEEK 6

TOPIC: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CONTENT: (2) Structure of Local Government

(a) Evolution of local government in Nigeria.

(b) Structure

(c) Sources of finance

(d) Relationship between Local Government/State and Federal Governments.

Sub-Topic 1:  EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA AND THE STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Evolution of Local Government in Nigeria

Local Governments arose originally out of the need of the colonial governments to reach the ordinary people in the colonised territories.

During the colonial era, Local Government took on different forms in different parts of the country. In the North, there was a single native authority system, which had a chief and a sort of governing council ruling over a territory. The British found it useful since the North was vast and would thus have been difficult to govern from one centre. Through the chiefs the British reached the natives.

The South had a different sort of local government system. It had various administrative tiers like the multiplier local government system practiced in Great Britain. They established county councils, municipal councils, urban councils, district councils, etc. Each of these councils operated in the areas and provided similar services to the people.

The regions that had tiers of local government were: Eastern Region -2; Western Region and Midwestern Region -3; Lagos – 1.

After Independence in 1960, the 1963 Constitution limited the scope of local government to matters of direct concern to the locals, e.g. market, feeder roads, motor parks, etc. The multiple tiers of local government was retained it was after the local government Reforms of 1976 that the local government because a single tier of government

Structure of Local Government

The Local Government has the following structure

1. The Policy Making Body, which is composed of:

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