Rural Development: Problem and Prospects in Local Government

Experience has however shown that most local
government councils have woefully failed to do that.
Certain reasons account for this state of affairs,
among which are: in many instances those who do
not reside permanently in the local government areas
are either appointed or "elected" into local
government Councils, hence they are out of tune with
the existing conditions in their supposed locality;
most of the "elected" local government officials
administer Odukpani local government area from
Calabar, the state capital. In fact, the Chairman of
Council and most of the Councillors and Council
workers reside in Calabar and its fringes.
6. Lack of requisite infrastructure: Some rural
communities are yet to enjoy such facilities as roads,
markets, electricity, basic health services, extension
services rural banking, and co-operative societies,
etc. The existence of such functional infrastructure in
the rural areas would among others: check the
migration of rural dwellers to the urban centres. The
establishment of cottage and craft industries, which
would provide employment for would-be migrants;
encourage private sector investments in the rural
communities and, enhance the rapid urbanization
of some rural settlements in the country, are