LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS A TOOL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

1.1 Introduction

Rural development strategies whether they are technocratic, reformist or radical, envisages rural industrialization from the point of economic growth, regional balance and social equity. It is the constructive technical co-efficient, based on their own resource endowments that augment the additional support and determination for a strategy of rural industrialization. Industrialization in rural communities appears to be beneficial in promoting rural development, when the individuals are able to recognize its significance in an appropriate manner.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Today, rural development is recognized as an important and visible instrument for national cum rural transformation of the society. However, the role or impact of local government in rural development could be performed through various ways. For instance, the provision of public transport, buildings cottage industries, tour halls, construction of feeder roads, maintenance of market, numbering of houses, death and birth registration and also non-social services like making people have education or acquire skills and knowledge towards self help. Rural development is also seen as one of the most important aspect of social development. In this regards the potentialities or economic and social development of various areas were harnessed. Most often, the question remains in people’s minds whether local government and their policies are directed towards helping to improve rural living standard socially, economically, politically and culturally.

Public Relations is aimed at making friends for the organization and building internal and external good will on the reasonable assumption that these are strongly needed for an organization to remain in business and make profit with the increase in the activities of an organization. The need for an adequate communication between the organization and those who in one way or the other are affected by these activities of the organization becomes more imperative. An organization while wanting to remain liable, need to have good relations with its employees, consumers of its products and services, future investors, stock − holders and infact that is the general public. As an organization specialized in manufacturing to potential customers that is up to date, forward looking concerned to produce and offer the best goods and services for the rice it charges and make sure that its customers are really satisfied.

Manufacturers and producers of goods and service are now aware that public relations does not only ensure good relations with the public but can strive towards profit making through increased customers patronage. It is in the light of the importance attached to public relations that the researcher seeks to appraise local government as a tool for rural development in Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) as a case study.

In managing rural development, the basic role of management is to plan, organize, direct and control, it is our collective view that managers lead other than plan, manpower rather than direct pattern rather than organize and assess rather than control. The effectiveness of management arises from leadership effort towards the simultaneous creation of a cooperative and learning organization to facilitate the implementation support rural and national development organization survival and effective utilization of resources for the benefit of mankind.

Therefore, in Enugu North where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Local Government as a Tool for Rural Development.

1.3 Statement of Problems

The principal justification of local government was the superior capacity of the local people to understand and conduct their own affairs, the local government that is described as the government at the grass root is expected to move into remote, interior villages to help develop and foster economic growth and develop them.

Government policies are expected to be directed towards militating and supervising the local people in their efforts of self-help, project. All these were supposed to be the functions of the local government so as to bring about timely development and transformation of the rural areas, but what is often predominant in the rural areas in Nigeria today are lack of infrastructures like good feeder roads, primary health facilities, primary schools, pipe borne water, electricity and where these are provided they are left in poor conditions.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Local Government as a Tool for Rural Development using Enugu North as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To evaluate the role of contribution of Enugu North Local Government Area in rural development
2. To identify area where the local government has neglected rural development
3. To determine the constraints of the local government
4. To offer suggestion on how to eliminate the problems identified in the course of the study

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What are the things hindering local government in rural development programs?
• Since the existence of the Enugu North local government council what are their contribution towards the development of the rural areas?
• How far have they been able to improve on rural development?
• How many rural areas have they been able to develop through the previous government policies?
• How many projects have been executed within the rural areas by the local government?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Fund does not hinder the carrying out of Rural Development Programs in the Enugu North local government Area.
• H1: Funds hinders the Enugu North Local Government from carrying out Rural Development Programs.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: The Local Government has not contributed towards development of the remote area of the Enugu North local government
• H1: The local government has contributed towards development of the remote areas of the Enugu North local government

Hypothesis Three

• H0: The local government has not been able to improve on facilities of the rural area of Enugu North Local Government Areas
• H1: The local government has been able to improve on facilities of the rural areas of Enugu North Local Government Area.

Hypothesis Four

• H0: The local government has not helped in developing any remote area in the rural area of Enugu North local Government Area.
• H1: The local government has helped in developing remote area in the rural area of Enugu North Local Government Area

1.7 Significance of Study

The significance of the study is that it will enable individuals, government and other bodies know the functions and roles of the local government area in development of rural areas. This study will also make the government to create awareness on the grassroots people. It will assist their self help projects that could be available to their utilization in the local Government area

Finally, the role of local government in rural development in the course of this study has been based on the need to bring development to the rural people and establish a base where the people feel the impact of the local government and participate in the process of rural development.

1.8 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Local Government as a Tool for Rural Development using Enugu North as a case study. The research work will be base on evaluating the problems (if any) encountered by this local government area in their attempt to meet their needs in the self-help projects and to suggest possible ways through which such problems could be solved. The research will also try to cover the extent to which Enugu North local government area has contributed to the development of the rural areas.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Operational Definition Of Terms

The following terms are uses in this research for clear understanding and the following definition have been given to explain them.

Impact: It’s a bundle of effect contributed or played by individual; group and organization in order to attain or achieve its objectives. This is seen as the part which local government are supposed to play and the function to be carried out towards the achievement of the rural development.

Local Government: To Egonwan (1984) in his book “ Principles and practices of Local Government in Nigeria “ Local Government is “The government at the local level which exercise power through representatives council established by law to exercise such power within defined areas”

Rural Area: Rural Area, are less densely populated with simple political Economic and social Institution and lacking in basic infrastructure. Rural Area can also be seen as a group of people who have lived together, sharing common values and general interest, long enough to be considered by others and by themselves as a unit.

Development: According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (5th Ed) Development is “The action or process of developing or being develop”.

Rural Development: To Ainabor and Otti (2011), rural development is a process of enhancing the social well-being of all residents in a particular commodity.