AN EXPLORATORY OVERVIEW OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Training and development of staff at the local government in Nigeria is quite fundamental to its growth, stability, and effective service delivery. Every effort made in this regard brings about a multiplier effect and productivity outcome not only to the employees but also to the administration of the local government and indeed, the entire nation. However, the attainment of this laudable objective has become a trajectory due to some challenges facing training and development at the grass-root level of governance. This paper unveils challenges of training and development at local government in Nigeria and suggest possible way forward. Secondary information was used in attaining the objectives of the study and content analysis was used in general discussions. The study revealed that, funding and centralization of staff for training are some of the challenges affecting staff training and development at local government. In fact, training and development are hardly relevant in meeting the needs of local governments in the study area as most staff training and development were not meant to address the training gaps especially in terms of skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies (SKAC) needed to work. It was also revealed that, training of senior staff in the local government is centralized at the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) in almost all states of the of the federation which hinders the selection process of trainees as well as identification of training needs analysis based on the peculiarities of the local needs at the individual, departmental and organisational levels. The study recommended among others for decentralization of training and development to local government under the control supervision of the Local Government Service Commission, merit selection of trainees based on training needs analysis and adequate funding of training and development of all categories of staff in the local government.