THE IMPACT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY OF IKOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE (2016-2021)

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION The impact of local government administration to rural development in IKom local government council some important role is interpreted in life spam. Rural development or organization is a means of collecting action or achieve some ands assigned is refers to people who identify themselves with a particular areas of local government-and with a purpose of establishing some the social services. The community must kwon itself and known its values and interest in the context contributing to ruler people for their benefits; it shed light to the formation of educational, religious, cultural, farming, health and socio economic and well being of the populace. The impact of local government of rural development programmed with strong hold as no single individual can say fully would represent the community with its diverse complexities unless there are efforts. The rural development project in any society should not be taken for granted, unless the pre - colonial period when individual were solely concerned with their own, like there is just no, day this present generation that passed without seeing people meet for co operative ventures. In light of this they usually put their hands together and embark on viable project, which will actually reflect their existence to the end, therefore the need for the contribution of local government in rural development is so much to be recommended in terms of rural development process as the researcher has decided to the impact of local government as case study. The need for impact of local government to rural development in Ikom local government have arise the reason for this, that our youth shall not leave their vicinity to other develop place in search of jobs for their better living so that our population would not be reduced to a Small percentage. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY IN IKOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA. Modern day Ikom began as a constituent of the Afibo division in the early 1900s when she was put together with Afibo now in Imo state. Certain communities in the northern part of the state swapped administratively from one district to another until in 1976 when the Akilu Boundary commission recommended the creation on autonomous local government by the federal government. Ikom local government had seven development areas to facilitate the administration of the area Viz, Nta Nselie, Irruan, Boje, Osokomi, Osokomii southern Etung and eastern Boki, in spite of this administration restructuring, agitations for a further break up of Ikom local government area for development purpose continued unabated. During the second republic, precisely in 1981, The Dr Clement Isongs administration in the cross River State created 47 additional local government areas in the state, the exercise split Ikom into three local government areas namely, Ikom, Afi and Boki. Further local government creation in 1982 did not affect these three council. However the General BuharI administrations which sick the second republic on December 31st 1983 capture the Isong creation and reverted the local government structure to pre second republic era. In September, 1991 General Ibrahim Babangida, Nigerian head of state revisited the issue of clamour for more local government area, their later split Ikom into two Boki local government area comprised area stretching from Nkonffap (its boundary with Ogoja) to Nta Nselle, Ofutop, Bendeghe Nkim and the entire Etung speaking communities. But in his independence Day nationwide broadcast on October 1st 1996 the head of state and commander in Chief of the Nigerian armed forces, General Bacha GCON, MNI created more local government councils spread across the country. The exercise further reduces the size of Ikom and Etung local government. 1.2 STATE OF THE PROBLEMS 1. Corruption and misappropriation of funds 2. Over dependences on the statutory allocation from the federal account 3. Rivalry 'with traditional authorities 4. Inadequate funding 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Does corruption and misappropriation of funds play a vital role in rural development programmes. 2. Did rivalry with traditional authorities a problem to Ikom local government. 3. Did over dependence on the statutory allocation from the federal account a problem. 4. Is inadequate funding a problem to Ikom local government 1.4 PUPROS/OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study includes. To research, investigate or find out and define the impact of local government to rural development (with Ikom local government in a view as a case study) 1. To investigate whether corruption and misappropriate of funds is a problem to rural development. 2. To investigate whether over dependence on the statutory allocation from the federal account is a problem to rural development. 3. To investigate whether rivalry traditional authorities is a problem to rural development 4. To investigate whether inadequate funding is a problem to rural-development 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study research work would be vital to change improved the rural development standard. It could also contribute to the rural development which minimize or reduce the level of unemployment in community, so creating jobs opportunities to school leaves and the nation at large. This project work would be of great significance If because it will enable organization to know the role of local government in the state. The significance of the study of the researchers, since it severs as practical fulfillment of the requirement for the award of national diploma (ND) Programmes. 1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The research work is primary reaction to the impact of the local government to rural development with a particular reference to Ikom government. This is so because it would minimize the numerous problems that could have been encountered by the researchers in covering wide areas. 1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS The researcher has used some certain concepts to make sound stronger to some readers. The following are some of the terms 1. Local government according to Ikenna (2004 - 1 1 1) record that local government is government at the grass root level with legal status in most case or extension of the central government to the people. 2. RURAL COUNTRY: Side that has less population or masses 3. DEVELOPMENT: according to Meter (1978) define development as the quantitative increase of economic activities and social services provided for the people by the government and private sector. 4. CONTRIBUTION: according to oxford advance dictionary, defines contribution as an action or a service that help to cause or increase something.