STATE-LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND THE CHALLENGES OFDEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF KADUNA STATE (1999-2007)

Abstract

This paper studied the local government and its relationship with other level of governance and how the issues of
state-local government relations affect service delivery. Local government remains the closest level of government
to the people at the grass root level. It was therefore aimed at using it as a means through which service delivery
could be properly carried out. This was said to not be properly and effectively done as a result of too much
interference in the administration of local governments. This raises the issue of autonomy, its use for local
government administration. The paper applied the theory of federalism to reveal the ideal of the intergovernmental
relations in the federal system of government. The paper also adopted the documentary technique as a means of
eliciting information. Based on the study it revealed that the imbalanced relationship affects service delivery at
the grass root level which affect the incapacity of the local government to deliver the dividend of democracy. It is
therefore, recommended that the relationship should be done in a way that the service delivery at the local
government will be effectively carried out. The emphasis should be on devolution rather than delegation. This can
be achieved by ensuring the emergence of democratically elected leaders at the grass root.