Assessment of Financial Management and Control in Nigerian Local Government Administration

Abstract

The paper attempts to present Nigerian local government executives with several options to consider as they deal with the complex and ever-changing issues of financial management and control at the local councils. Management of finances at the local government levels in Nigeria is a significant aspect of public governance. Thus, efficient financial management and control at all levels are necessary for the successful execution of projects and quality service delivery. Unfortunately, these efforts are being thwarted by the activities of some local government employees who collect revenue but do not remit the same to the coffers of the councils. The insertion of fictitious names on the payroll as well as the overwhelming influences of state governors who derive their powers to stifle the growth of local councils from the constitution have impacted negatively on the local government system in Nigeria. For perfect achievement of the results of this assessment, descriptive analysis and analytical tools such as the descriptive statistical tools involving the use the frequency distribution, percentages, tables, and means were used to analyze the data collected. Chi-square was used to test the hypothesis formulated for this research work. Findings after the application of the above-mentioned analytical tools showed that there is no proper management and control of the local government funds. The study recommends that financial autonomy as well as policy reforms in the areas of capacity-building initiatives, improved monitoring and evaluation of mechanisms, and the use of technology to enhance transparency and accountability must be instituted at the local government councils.