Relationship Among the Three Tiers of Government And Their Impact on Good Governance

Abstract

This paper is on the importance of the relationship among the three tiers of government which are Federal, State and Local Government. This relationship has led to the subjugation of Local Government thereby making local government to be answerable and subservient to State Government. This has impacted negatively on local government performance such that it cannot implement laudable and meaningful projects on its own. Though the 1999 Constitution as amended recognizes local government as the third tier of govemment, this section of the constitution is breached rather than being strictly observed. It is against this background that this paper seeks to examine some specific aspects of relationship among the three tiers of government and their impact on good governance. This paper relies on both primary and secondary data; quantitative technique was used for analysis. The study discovered that lopsided marriage between local and state government has resulted to low and poor performance of local government in Nigeria with the exception of Lagos State. The study therefore recommends that local government should be made more autonomous just like the case ofStates and Federal Government.