The Administration Of Local Governments And Challenges Of Rural Development

CHAPTER ONE 1.0    INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Local government can also be defined as that tier of government closest to the people, “which is vested with certain powers to exercise control over the affairs of people in its domain” (Lawal, 2000:60). Akpan (1982) defined local government as “the breaking down of a country into smaller units or localities for the purpose of administration in which the inhabitants of the different units or localities concerned play a direct and full role through their elected representatives who exercise power and undertake functions under the gener…