TRAINING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA1
| Published date | 01 April 1954 |
| Date | 01 April 1954 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/j.1099-162X.1954.tb00051.x |
92 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ADMINISTRATION
TRAINING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN
NORTHERN NIGERIAl
IN
the hands of thousands who work in local government throughout the vast
Northern Region lies, to a great extent, the future of the North.
The
emirs, and
their councils, district officers, district heads, the men in the native authority
treasuries and officesdown to the most recently recruited scribe all play their part,
in varying degrees, in the day to day tasks of local government. Nowhere in Nigeria
is it realised more than in the Northern Region that to have efficient local govern-
ment is is essential that its staff shall be as highly trained as possible in their various
duties and that they carry
out
those duties conscientiously and honestly fully
realising the part they can play in the development of their land.
For the past few years, in Zaria, at the Clerical Training College basic training
has been given to hundreds of boys bymeans of one year courses in officeprocedure,
typing and similar subjects to fit them for work in the various branches of local
government throughout the North,
but
this is not sufficient.
The
Regional
Executive Council realises that if local government is to be speedily and, at the
same time, efficiently expanded, more facilities must be made available whereby
local government staff of all grades can attend refresher courses and benefit from
expert, practical instruction, where they can be given the opportunity of learning
more about their own and other people's jobs and be taught how best to apply this
knowledge in their own areas.
From the 1st of April next year' the Clerical Training Collegewill be the centre
of instruction in local government for the Region. From that date it will be known
as the Institute of Administration and there, in the extensive buildings which are
at present being constructed, will come local government officials from all corners
of the Region to learn more about their jobs in local government, in addition to
boys commencing their careers who will be given instruction in clerical and
treasury subjects.
Responsible for the planning of the instruction to the various grades of officials
is the Regional Minister for Local Government and Community Development.
There
will be a course for district heads, one for district scribes and another for
touring assistant district officers held as an annual refresher course. Courses for
middle seniority native authority headquarters' officials and a diploma course for
native authority accountants will be held in addition to instruction for native
authority councillors from emirate and non-emirate areas. Students for these
courses will be nominated by the native authorities from amongst their staffs.
The
courses for district heads will be based on the lessons learnt at the
experimental course held in Kano this year", Practical instruction will be given in
the organisation and functions of village and district councils, the duties of chairmen,
electoral systems and like subjects. These courses will last approximately one
month and will be of different standards so as to cater for the various educational
standards of district heads and the varying revenues and degrees of advancement
of district scribes from the non-emirate areas.
At the annual refresher courses for touring assistant district officers they
will
be instructed in the new techniques of the local government council system and
1
From
apress release issued by the P.R.O.,
Northern
Region, Nigeria, No. 1041 of24.10.53.
2i.e. 1954.
3i.e. 1953.
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