POLITICISATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA. A STUDY OF ENUGU STATE- 2007-2014
ABSTRACT
The growing importance of administration can be traced back not only to changes in the volume, complexity and specialization of government, but to changes in the relationship between governmental organizations and their environment. The nexus between the local government and democratic governance has been keenly explored on intense academic debates. These debates have aimed at beaming attention on systems such as poor service delivery, lack of accountability, poor staffing and total politicization of local government appointments. The study investigated politicisation of local government appointment and service delivery in Nigeria. Consequently, the study was conducted in Enugu State. The framework of analysis used in this study is the bureaucratic theory as propounded by Max Weber. The idea of neutral competence, or authority of expertise, as shown by appointed officials who were recruited on the basis of competence and expert knowledge, skills and experience were valuable for conducting the business of government and could help to educate politicians and restrain their partisan inclinations. The survey design method was adopted in the study. Data for the study were gathered through primary and secondary sources. The research findings based on our empirical investigation revealed among others that the employments/appointments given to local government workers were mostly based on party connections or political influence. This meant that majority of those who gain employment or appointment into the local government were those people who had political god-fathers such as the Local Government Chairman, Party Chairman, Commissioners, and even the Executive Governor of the State. The study recommended among others that government should provide appropriate laws that should be enacted to check the excesses of political influence over matters that were purely bureaucratic in nature, especially, employment, appointment, training, posting and discipline of Staff. And the boundary of authority between the politicians and administrators should be clearly stated to enable bureaucrats control, discipline and manage their subordinates without fear of victimization. By so doing, the service delivery capacity of the Local Governments would be enhanced in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and greater productivity.