LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This study examines the contribution of local government to national development in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. The study adopted simple random sampling to source data from the field survey.  This study adopts simple percentage and chi-square statistics to analyse data source from survey administration of questionnaires to a sample of 400 respondents/participants. This revealed that there is positive significant correlation between execution of community development plan in Ovia North East and national development. The result revealed that there is positive significant correlation between inadequate financing of developmental projects in Ovia North East and national development. The result also shows that there is positive significant correlation between local socioeconomic development process in Ovia North East and national development. The study recommends that institutions and mechanisms saddled with ensuring rectitude and accountability in public governance should be re-invigorated. This has the tendency to reduce resource mismanagement, plunder and outright conversion of public funds to private advantage. The study suggests that weak monitoring mechanism in the local government council should be checkmate by the stakeholder involvement as this can enhance developmental plans geared towards community and national development. Local government should be equipped to carry out the community projects which requires heavy machines such as tractors and caterpillars and equipment’s which the rural people do not possess in order to improve their farming inputs and complete their projects.