The Supreme Court recently granted financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria, ruling that it is unconstitutional for governors to withhold their funds.

The apex court also ruled that governors don’t have the power to appoint or dismiss local government chairmen.

While the ruling has been applauded by many, some others think otherwise.

In recent times the problem of government penetration of rural communities has received a great deal of attention on political development. This derives from the realization that attempts by different levels of government at achieving socio-economic development cannot succeed without rural communities.

Rural community development is a means of bringing about endearing changes in the structure of the rural sector in a manner that productivity and output are increased. In most parts of Nigeria, the pace of rural development has been slow over the years. This has resulted in growing disparity between income distribution and rising poverty rates.

Poverty generally means that the household income is inadequate as judged by evaluated standards. Very often the poor lack capacity to escape from their situation by themselves and may need the help of government. This over development on government is what causes the socio-economic conditions of extreme poverty that persists and transmitted from generation to generation.

It is to be noted that, the poor are proportionately located in rural areas where young children, pregnant mothers, women, elders and those groups of people who have not been integrated into chartered societies are mostly affected. In-fact, the picture of a typical rural area is clear and unique in our minds.

Rural areas anywhere in Nigeria have common features ranging from bad roads to dilapidated buildings, lack of electricity, completely broken-down primary health scheme and apparent absence of positive government influence. The irony of the situation of the rurality is that although the essential ingredients necessary for the development abound naturally within their immediate environment, their lack of awareness, inability to compel government attention to their pressing problems remain a great challenge.

It is sad to stress that, most local Government Areas in the country lack access road to their local government headquarters, not to talk of sports stadium where public primary schools become recreational facilities. It is also a thing of regret that most Local Government headquarters in the country cannot be differentiated from a typical village council due to its Abrahamic type of maintenance.

It is instructive to say that, penetration of rural communities by government would reduce the number of out-groups thereby removing the complexity, delay and inter-group rivalries in rural policy making. We should not also forget the fact that, investing in rural community is an investment in security and peace, especially when investments are community led and owned. Also it is at community level that consensus of sentiments exist and values are held which penetrate the social fabric, and are capable of generating positive community actions.

Therefore, there should be a finance scheme that gives rural people access to credit or savings, there should be a process that supports rural business such as training program and a rural enterprise support center even as employment opportunities for youths also should be created when taking development to rural communities in Nigeria.

How local government autonomy will bolster development at the grassroot

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