Good Governance and National Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects (Published)
This paper examines the critical relationship between good governance and national development, with a focus on Nigeria’s unique challenges and prospects. Good governance, defined by transparency, accountability, adherence to the rule of law, and effective policies, is universally recognised as a driver of sustainable development. The paper adopted a qualitative approach with data drawn from scholarly publications, international indices, and government reports to provide empirical insights into global and Nigerian governance systems. The study integrates global perspectives, highlighting successful governance models in countries like Sweden, Singapore, and Rwanda, while contrasting them with governance failures in nations such as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Nigeria, governance deficits, including corruption, institutional inefficiency, and infrastructural inadequacies, have hindered socio-economic progress. Despite being Africa’s largest economy, issues such as systemic corruption, mismanagement of public resources, and weak policy implementation persist. Transparency International ranked Nigeria 154th on the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, with 63% of the population living in poverty and unemployment rates peaking at 33.3%. The paper identifies further challenges, including electoral malpractice, judicial inefficiency, insecurity, and infrastructural deficits, which collectively undermine governance effectiveness and development. The study employs Governance Theory and Sustainable Development Theory as frameworks to analyse the interplay between governance practices and development outcomes. Through these lenses, it explores key issues such as the impact of anti-corruption initiatives, social investment programmes like N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfers, and reforms in sectors such as health, infrastructure, and electoral processes. While acknowledging the limitations of these initiatives, the paper highlights prospects for improvement through strengthened institutional frameworks, equitable resource distribution, and inclusive governance. Recommendations include enhancing anti-corruption mechanisms, scaling up social protection programmes, prioritising infrastructure development through public-private partnerships, reforming electoral processes, and promoting inclusivity to address regional disparities. These strategies aim to bridge governance gaps and foster sustainable development. The study concludes that while Nigeria faces significant governance challenges, targeted reforms and institutional strengthening offer viable pathways to achieving long-term national development. It underscores the need for an integrated approach that prioritises transparency, equity, and socio-economic inclusivity, positioning governance as a pivotal factor in Nigeria’s quest for stability and prosperity.
Keywords: Good Governance, National Development
State Interference and Service Delivery in Nigeria’s Local Government Administration: The Case of Ado Local Government Area, Ekiti State, 2011 – 2021 (Published)
The establishment of local governments in Nigeria was motivated by the need for administrative convenience and development. The peculiarities of the grassroots government, according to efficiency service theorists, would engender national development. The purposes of the study, using mixed methods, were to investigate the challenge of state interference and the implications on service delivery in Ado Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria between 2011 – 2021. Primary data involved the use of online questionnaire and observation. The total of 103 respondents responded to the online questionnaires used for the analysis. Sources of secondary data include textbooks, reputable journals, and the internet. Primary data was analyzed statistically using frequencies, percentages and pie chart while content analysis was used for secondary data. The study discovers that state governments have been shortchanging local governments in Nigeria through their interference. The paper recommends political and financial autonomy for the local government to enhance sustainable development.
Citation: Oluwaleye J.M. (2023) State Interference and Service Delivery in Nigeria’s Local Government Administration: The Case of Ado Local Government Area, Ekiti State, 2011 – 2021, Global Journal of Political Science and Administration, Vol.11, No.2, pp.28-41
Keywords: Efficiency, National Development, grassroots, grassroots development, shortchanging
The Manifestations of Grand Corruption in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and Its Implication on National Development (Published)
The central aim of this paper is to highlight how grand corruption is manifested in Nigeria and its implication for national development. This is based on the premise that there has been tendency for literatures on corruption to propose solutions to combat corruption without considering the context and form which corruption takes place. It achieves its aim by first clarifying the concept of corruption and grand corruption. It also adopts the neo-patrimonial theory to explain how grand corruption are manifested in Nigeria. The study analyses secondary and empirical sources of data through qualitative methods. It argues that in spite of Nigeria’s transition to democracy, cases of grand corruption have been reported in the different governments. This has left devastating consequences in the country such as slow economic growth, mass poverty and unemployment, political and social instability, a recycled culture of corruption, diminished national prestige and loss of government legitimacy and national assets. It recommends a strong political will to fight corruption beyond propaganda and a radical sanitization of the political system in Nigeria.
Keywords: Corruption, Fourth Republic, National Development, grand corruption, manifestations
Women Participation in Politics and National Development (Published)
The contribution of women to the socio-economic and political development of any modern democratic state is essential and indispensable. This paper examines the extent of women participation in politics and national development in Nigeria. The study adopted secondary data as sources of information. The constraints of women participation inpolitics pose as hindrance to national developmentin Nigeria. It is discernible from this study that cultural, environmental, educational and gender factors are major barriers to active women participation inpolitics. It is part of the objectives of this work to realize active women participation in National political life for a sustainable National development.Government at all levels should embark on enlightenment campaign to sensitize the public on the need for more women to embrace and pursue education as this is a catalyst for active women participation inpolitics. It is also recommended that coercive legislations should be made at all levels against every form of discrimination against women.
Keywords: Development, National Development, Participation, Politics, Women
IMPROVING PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT IN THE NIGERIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Published)
From the outset, this paper argues that at the local government level, personnel management has not received the needed professional attention at least in practice. Consequently, national development suffers from the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the manpower that is supposed to initiate and sustain it from the grassroots. The significance of personnel is then highlighted, with management and development as theoretical basis. The Local Government personnel management organisation and functions were analysed along the line, using problem – solution approach. In further search for improvements, the paper proposes rigorous reflection on pre-colonial personnel management theory and practice. It wondered at the relative effectiveness and efficiency in the accomplishment of development projects that characterised the pre-colonial peoples that made the present day Nigerian nation. The paper therefore sought to provide a sound theoretical foundation that informed the relationship between personnel management in the local government system and national development, with the hope of presenting empirical quantitative data and analysis to support the main thesis in the near future
Keywords: Local Government, National Development, Nigeria, Personnel management