South became, district in the Sokoto state in line with the native authority, which was made as an administrative unit during the “indirect rule system around 1923” (7).
From the time to 1968 “the military takeover south and its units operated on the directive of native authority the its headquarter s at south , the reforms which accompanied the 1968 military takeover affected a change in the native authority which executed in local government , authority with it duties duly assigned (8) . The local governed creation , like state creation is seen as one of the veritable means to bring development closer to the grassroots.
At it has being the case , it is hardly conceivable that people should execute a state or local government thrust on their laps without making any effort at getting such created. the creation of south local government is the out come of an intense struggle both at the level of council , state and even federal, by indigenes of the are desirous of not
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only ensuring the much need development , but also to create an avenue for asserting their relevance In the political scheme of things so Sokoto south local government are was created in 1976 by general Murtala /Obasanjo regime .
The development of any society through this government activities depends a lot on the quality of leadership of the society. The structure of the central administration of south local government sheds lights other activities of the various department in the local government below in the diagram
Office of the Chairman
Council of Meeting hall
Office of the Secretary
Admin dept , finance dept, social development dep. natural resource dept, health dept, work dept, source : south local government office 2015 from the above, south local government has the following department administrative /management department under which there is community development unit, agriculture /natural resource department and works department , fiancé department , health department.
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As can be seen south local government right from 1999 to 2015 , is structurally articulated thereby enabling the chairman on top to perform the executive power as vested on him in the 1999 constitution .
The general concern of the council from 1999 to date has been the provision of portable water through the construction of boreholes , open concrete well etc. in strategic location the council. the proviso of rural feeders roads, building more class rooms to raise literacy level I the council as well the construction and equipping of clinic / dispensaries to ensure delivery of primary health care service to the people of the area.
This passionate concern is informed by the fact that south local government, being a predominantly rural local government has had to contend with a number of problems peculiar to the rural landscape of Nigeria. Prominent among these are the problem of lack of water, roads, electricity, health care delivery and functional education . it is an attempt to redress these imbalance that the agitation of the local government was make in the first instance. Thus, when the people dream was realized, it became the responsibility of successive leaders of the local government to take measures to change the ugly situation.
Administration /Management Department
In south local government, the management department consists principally of information unit and community development unit, each according to it heads.
The Director of personnel management (DPM) heads, this Department he signs cheques, contractors. Agreements purchase order forms e.t.c. His recommendation or
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initiatives are subject to the approval of his super iodinates according to the hierarchy of authority he also assists the secretary to local government in the formulation and execution of policies and programmes. The department selects and appoints staffs, trains them to be disciplined, and to perform other duties in conjunction with community development effort as well as information dissemination.
Agricultur/Natural Resource Department
South local government is a predominantly agricultural area this department also has its head the head of this department perform the function of allocating fertilizers billed for the local government. He controls the seeding and other variety of products at the disposal of the local government in similar view this department caters for the inputs required by the local government rice farm whose products is sold to the needy at affordable prices the department sometime organizes in open lecture and educates farmers on how to use the land as well as the application of fertilizers. This department makes sure that water is treated before consumption while it guides hunters and fishermen in tapping natural resources.
Works Department
This department has also been playing a key role in south local government. The head of this department work as a team with his subordinate to provides some services such as market construction, motor parts, local government clinie and dispensaries in source village. Other services include then provision of water bridges construction as well as the maintenance of local government vehicles. The department also has a section
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that is responsibility for local and survey it administration technical advice to contractors and builders in the local government.
Health Department
The health department embodies social welfare unit just as we have in the state and health service unit under the supervision of the director of health.
The social welfare unit deals with family matters and caters for the education pursuit of the disabled. The disabled are given priority attention. Under health service unit, the department make request for the supply of drugs which the always treat with almost important since health is wealth”.
South local government has put in place a number of key policies. These include paying adequate attention to both curative and preventive components of health care, the implementation of expanded programme on immunization and oral dehydration theory ( EPI/ORT)
Specifically this department provides services through the erecting maternity, clinic, dispensaries, maintenance of sanitation days and rending essential the local government
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CHAPTER THREE
This chapter is meant to analyze the data collected from the responses to the questionnaire and interview questions administered on the local populace and some local government officials respectively.