CHALLENGES OF CAPACITY IN EBONYI STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The term capacity is not tightly defines and in practice as used in a broad and loose fashion. However, the municipal structure Act No 118 of 1998 defines capacity in relation to the administration of the local government as including the administrative and financial management capacity and infrastructural capacity that enables a local government to govern the local government affairs of its community on it’s own initiative .

Capacity building according to the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP’S) is the ability of an individual, institutions and society to perform functions, solve problems, set and achieve objectives in a sustainable manner. It is a conceptual approach to development that focuses attention on understanding the skills, competence and mental capabilities of people or organizations for a higher productivity.

Capacity building is a multi-dimensional concept with three inter-related core elements, which includes the following:

The individual capacity building talks about the potentials required with the combination of qualification, experience and competence in relation to the job been carried out. Institutional capacity building on the other hand talks about the potential or competence found within municipalities. The aim is to structure business units and municipality to ensure that it is functional and performs adequate service deliver. Environmental capacity building on its own is the potentials or competence found outside the municipality’s form structure. This means that the components that constitute a conducive environment for local government to operate, must be deliberately and continuously checked and challenges if any, made known to t he spheres.

However, capacity building for grassroots development has met countless number of obstacles and challenges in the contemporary time. This research will deem it fit to identify and address those major challenges that inhibit the local government capacity building. Those challenges includes among others, lack of adequate commitment of rural dwellers to local government capacity building strategies like entrepreneurial training, manpower development, apprenticeship, provision of loaning scheme, etc. Also, the level of grass indiscipline, corruption, mismanagement, misappropriation of fund and other malpractices treable in the lifestyle of local government political actors who are the makers and implementers of the local government bye-law. Again the policy thrust for capacity building programmes may be will structured, but lack of fund and expertise of manpower may hamper capacity building strategies of local government.

The local government known as Afikpo North is an anglicize version of the name Ehugbo, rooted in the cultural norms and capacity of Ehugbo people. Afikpo North Local Government is among the oldest local government when Ebonyi State weas still under the then Imo state. It was formally called Afikpo Local Government when Ebonyi State was still under Imo state. It was with the creation of Ebonyi State that Afikpo local government spited into two to include Afikpo North and Afikpo South Local Government respectively.

Afikpo North Local Government is made up of five different autonomous communities, which includes, Ozizza, Itim, Ohaisu, Nkpogoro and Ugwuegu autonomous communities with their respective traditional rulers and councilors that represent the various wards that makes up these autonomous communities of the local government level. Afikpo North local government has a common territorial boarder with Cross River State by the east, Ohaozara local government by the west, Onicha local government by the southern border.

Afikpo North local government in the recent time has given birth to four local government areas that are recognized by the federal government, they include Ohaozara, Onicha, Afikpo South and Ivo local government areas. Talking about development centres, Afikpo North local government has the following development centres which includes Ubeyi development centre, Afikpo North-East development centre, Afikpo North development centre and Amasiri development centre respectively.

Similarly, the total population of Afikpo North local government was about 672,000 as at 2005. In the area of socio-economic activities, Afikpo North local government are known for farming, fishing and small scale business. Also, a good number of her citizens are engaged in artisan jobs and a number of small scale like production of palm oil, production of timber and garri processing.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Capacity building is termed to be the hallmark of local government, embarking on capacity building is the essence of local government to strengthen the skills, competence and abilities of the rural dwellers in order to effect grassroots development.

Evidently, lack of adequate commitment of the rural people to local government capacity building strategies constitute t he major challenge of capacity building in the local government. Also the gross level of indiscipline, corruption, mismanagement, misappropriation of fund and other malpractices traceable in the lifestyle of local government political actors, who are the implementers of the capacity building policies.

Again, most at time, the policy thrust for capacity building programme maybe well structured, but lack of fund and expertise of manpower to implement these policies may hamper capacity building strategies of the local government.

This research is faced with the problem of how to relate and communicate to the local government personnel and enlighten them on the implication of their actions on the capacity building of the local government system.

Also, the researcher is set to use this work to relate to the appropriate authority, that is the federal government and it’s agencies that are involved the extent to which poor funding have affected local government capacity building.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of this research is to examine and ascertain the significant factors that constitute the challenges of capacity building in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The research has the following specific objectives;

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Capacity building is a general phenomenon that need attention in a wider sense, but this research will only narrow its tentacles to the challenges of capacity building in Afikpo North Local Government as a result of time factor and financial constraint. The target of this research is on the staff and members of the seven (7) departments that make up Afikpo North Local Government.

The seven departments include the following;

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research is highly significant in many ways. It is significant to the entire local government system, because it will expose the activities of top political actors, as it affects the capacity building of staff and members of the local government system. Also the research is significant to the academic world, as it will serves as a reference material for other academic exercise and also add to the volume of the already existing world of knowledge. Again, this research is highly significant to the federal government and its various agencies, as it will help guide in determining the best strategy for capacity building to achieve effective results.

1.7 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

H₀ Represent the null hypothesis

H₁ Represents the alternative hypothesis

H₀ The activities of local government political actors does not contribute challenge to capacity building

H₁ The activities of local government political actors contributes challenge to capacity building

H₀ Inadequate fund to capacity building in the local government system does not affect the system

H₁ Inadequate fund to capacity building in the local government system affect the system

H₀ Capacity building in the local government system is not significantly affected by manpower

H₁ Capacity building in the local government system is significantly affected by manpower

1.8 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The research adopted the Behavioral Science theory. The behavioral science theory were proposed by researchers that used scientific methods in their study of people in the work environment. They have group of people or management scholars trained in industrial sociology, industrial psychology, anthropology, labour economics and other related fields. They used their diverse knowledge to understand and more effectively manage people in organizations.

They are people who study how and why people behave as they do, how their strengths and weakness can be evaluated, what their needs and wants are and how these can be considered in the performance of managerial functions. They are concerned with the study of how managers should personally behave in order to motivate employees and encourage them to perform at high level and be committed to the achievement of organizational goals. Those management behavioral scientists includes;

In relation to this research, workers in the work environment needs motivation by means of skill acquisition. This will mean that work will perform at a high level in the work they do. This theory suggests that government and other related agencies should create a platform where workers will acquire skills that will help boost their competence in the work place. This means that the local government personnel will be more effective and efficient, thereby reducing the challenges of capacity building.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Individual capacity building
2. Institutional capacity building
3. Environmental capacity building
1. To examine the factors that constitutes the challenges of capacity building in Afikpo North Local Government.
2. To find out how the activities of local government political factors contribute to challenge of capacity building.
3. To find out solvable solutions to the challenges of capacity building in Afikpo North Local Government system.
4. To ascertain the level of strategies mapped out by the local government to facilitate the capacity of its employees.
5. To find out how the problem of inadequate funding for capacity building will be tackled.
1. Education department
2. Health department
3. Works department
4. Environmental department
5. Agricultural department
6. Fisical planning department
7. Administrative department
1. Does capacity building help in carrying out development at the grassroots level
2. Of what relevance is capacity building to Afikpo North Local Government.
3. What are the issues and challenges of capacity building in the Nigeria local government system
4. How can the challenges of capacity building in the local government be over come?
1. Abraham Maslow – Hierarchy of Needs
2. Douglas Mcregor – Theory X and Y
3. Victor Vroom – Expectancy theory
4. Fredrick Herzberg – Duality theory
5. Christ Argyri – Maturity theory
1. Capacity: The maximum amount that something can contain
2. Capacity Building: The assistance that is produced to entities, usually societies in developing countries or organization which have a need.
3. Development: It is a multidimensional process which involves changes in structure.
4. Government: It is an agency, established by a political community, invested with power and authority to make laws, execute law, implements and interpret laws for good governance.
5. Local government: It is a quasi autonomous system of government that brings down dividence of democracy to t he grassroots for the masses.

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