“an Appraisal Of The Accounting System Of Local Government – A Case Study Of Enugu-north Local Government

Local government is the third tier of government in Nigeria.  It has administrative structure, statutorily assigned functions, social commitments and financial arrangement necessary for it to maintain itself and perform statutory functions to its citizen.

The ideal of making local government a third tier of government Nigeria was recognized during the nation wide local government reform launched 1976.  However, it was given full legal recognition by the 1979 Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.  This recognition ever since then has enhanced the grass root participation at local level of government authorities.

The roles of local government council as put out in the fourth schedule of the 1979 constitution by the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as specified degree No. 12 of 1989 are as follows: the consideration and making of recommendations to a State Commissioner on economic planning or any similar body on the economic development of the State, particularly in so far as the areas of authority of the council and of the State are affected.

Apart from the aforementioned function assigned to local governments by the constitution, the local government in Nigeria (with effect from 1992) was made responsible for primary and adult education, primary health care and rural water supply.

To meet up with the enlarged responsibilities of local government, it is therefore, important that each local government explores and exploits potential continues for raising revenues.  Local government should in addition to their supplement any revenue sources such as government grants and statutory allocation, embark on profit yielding ventures in order to increase their revenue base.  An action in this direction is very necessary as it would enable the local government to discharge its responsibilities come out reducing the level and quality of its services to the people.  This would therefore ensure the attainment of objective of creating local government as a third of governments, which was to the local populace.

Furthermore, it should also be noted that local government should not only increase its revenue base on accommodate its enlarged responsibilities but should also install an adequate and accounting system to take care of both the existing and newly created revenue base.  Such accounting system should be capable of ensuring control of the local government’s revenues and expenditures.

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