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IMPACT OF CORRUPTION ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

There is in the air today, as there has been throughout the global history of the past five thousand years, a lot of resentment to hypocrisy and misunderstanding of the phenomenon popularly called "corruption". The hypocrisy came from ruling classes, the misunderstanding is practically that of everyone else except a possible few, which is why we are here. At all levels of Nigeria polity, political corruption involves illegal pursuit of misuse· of public office and electoral corruption includes the purchase of votes with money or promise of office special favours. This study is aimed at finding out the impact of corruption on local government performance in Nigeria. This is done with a view of finding solution to this problem. The estimated population of the study is approximately to 100 employees of Oshodi/lsolo Local Government which constitute of both male and female staffs of some selected department in the council.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria is a developing country, inspite of its human and materials resources has been diversely referred to as "poor run by crooks" and rated by transparency international as one of the two most corruption countries on planet earth (Guest 2006:6). Local government in Nigeria is generally considered notorious haven of corruption. It is a paradox and unfair categorization for a country that is also well renowned for producing the best brains in any field of endeavour. To be sure, the tag of corruption that is synonymous with the Nigeria local government is a consequence of years of military rule. As a country that has for long suffered from dictatorial military. regimes, Nigeria local government has seen a systematic erosion of values in almost all facets of life and this is because .: the military by its constitution is a no sticker to the standards and procedures of good governance, transparency and accountability. As such military rule has given a surge in corruption in local government, under it, kleptocracy easily became elevated to statehood and with it nepotism, rent seeking and such other systematic vices. Inflated contracts and over invoicing became common place as public service was characterized by inefficiency and wastage of public funds. All that one needed to become an overnight millionaire was to simply know some influential personage(s). Merit was unrecognized and one could get his/her way with a requisite network.

According to Bamidele (1980) various attempt at fighting the scourge of corruption, fraud and other related offences have proved to be an uphill task for successive regimes in Nigeria. Even the draconian decrees that prescribe stiff penalties and even death sentence (as was the case of drug trafficking decree later repeated) have done little or nothing to stem the ever expanding tide of corrupt practices and related offences in the nation's local government (Bamidele: 1996: 10). In view of the foregoing, -this study will therefore examine the impact of corruption on the performance of local government in Nigeria. Using Oshodi /Isolo Local Government as reference point.

1.2    STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Due to the high level of corruption in Nigeria local government, foreigners regard average Nigerians especially those who wants to do business, with them as corrupt, because trust has been away with corruption. We have created such a bad image for ourselves with potential foreign business partners to the extent that genuine and honest people now suffer. Virtually all sectors of the society are presently experiencing moral crisis as a result of corruption. It is now a case of "everyone for himself, God for us all". ill gotten wealth is now glorified publicly. This has made corruption a norm and a victimless crime. However, the effect of corruption has been debilitating and pernicious on the nation's body polity social values have continued to decline as the get rich syndrome has led to numerous cases of violence lowering of traditional institutions and breakdown in laws and order. The economy has continue to sink deeper into the doldrums as it come under the full weight of corruption.

The citizenry are worst for it, as poverty runs deeper in the lives of the common people, social state of despair and decay. (Odekunle; 2001) 11. is the position of this study that in order to come to grips with multidimensional nature of the problem of administrative corruption in Nigeria local government, all inclusive approach is desirable in order to enable us analyze administrative corruption with the larger preview of an amoral state.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study is aimed at examining the impact of corruption on local government performances in Nigeria to achieve these objectives:

1. To examine the consequential effect of corruption on local government.

2. To find out how best corruption could be controlled' in Nigeria local government.

3. To investigate the origin and the major causes of corruption in Nigeria local government.

4. To analyzed Nigeria local government performance.

1.4    RESEARCH QUESTION

1. Can corruption affect the performance of local· government?

2. Is there any relationship between corruption and poverty?

3. Is the local government the most corrupt?

4. Is the government itself sincere and committed to the course of fighting the scourge?

1.5    RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1. Ho:   There is no significant -relationship between the nature of leadership and ability to fight corruption.

H1:   There is a significant relationship between the nature of leadership and ability to fight corruption.

2. Ho: There is no significant relationship between corruption and poverty.

H1: There is a significant relationship. between corruption and poverty.

1.6    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

No nation can flourish with corruption and no nation would allow corruption to destroy the basis fabric of its society. This explains why attempts shall be made to combat the scourge inloc.al government in Nigeria. This study will therefore necessary because it will find out the main problems associated with liability of Nigeria government to fight corruption in the society. It will also be useful to other researchers in this field of human endeavor.

1.7    SCOPE LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The business of this research shall be delimited to the impact of corruption on local government performance.  A case study of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government. Due to the nature of the study, the questionnaire was distributed to some selected department in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Council.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.  CORRUPTION: A dishonest or illegal behaviour.

2. LOCAL GOVERNMENT: is a smaller government which is created to make people closer to the day to day activities of the country.

3. PERFORMANCE: 1S the level of measuring people activities.

4.GOVERNMENT: it is the institutions which makes and enforce law within the territorial boundaries of a state in order to regulate activities within the state in the interest of the citizens.

5. RESPONDENTS: A person who answers question during an interview or one who fill a questionnaire for a research work.

6. DELEGATION: Is a group of people who represent the views of an organization, and country.

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