Ethics and Service Delivery in Local Government Administration: A Theoretical Analysis of the Nigerian Situation

Abstract

Issue of ethics and ethical conducts are vital towards the attainment of accountability in  every governmental setting as their relationships look semantic but are not strictly being  adhered to in Local Government Administration. This paper examined the theoretical  underpinning of the concepts of ethics, transparency, and accountability in the Local  Government administration in Nigeria. The practice of ethical conduct, transparency and  accountability has eluded the reformed local government system in Nigeria, and by  extension has constituted the poor service delivery and corruption at this tier of  government. A situation where local government functionaries fail to separate their  private ownership from the public office they hold on trust, and where most of them  administer local Governments as their private estates is repugnant to the precept of  ethical conduct, transparency and accountability. Apart from a strong advocacy for the  institutionalization of Local Government Integrity System, based on the available  theoretical submissions and analysis, the paper observed that we faced some challenges  in the application of model code of ethics in our local government system. The paper  suggested the introduction of a model code of conduct in the local government system,  akin to the Columbia Integrity pact which stipulates that public servants should always  have integrity in their dealings with the general public, as a sure step to fostering the  principles of transparency, accountability, good governance and good working  relationship among councils functionaries.