Review of Public Administration and Management

Abstract

Local Government Leadership, Wealth Creation and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

Okoli FC, Izueke Edwin M, Nzekwe FI

The paper is an exploration of the roles of local government leadership in wealth creation and poverty reduction. The study was motivated by the strategic position of local government as the closest tier of government to the people. This position was seen as the most vantage to create wealth and reduce poverty in Nigeria. Effective local government leadership was explored and seen to be a stateman with resolute will and spirit as well as consistency to turn the fortunes of the people around. This is against a demagogue who is interested only in personal aggrandizement. We examined the primacy of agriculture in wealth creation and poverty reduction and found that if local government leadership can take the lead in agriculture through modernization and diversification of agricultural production enormous wealth would be created and poverty drastically reduced. The leader of the local government leadership should never be at the neglect of the people. The people should be supported and assisted. This will remove more people from the farm but still improve the value of agricultural produce in the economy.