Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Junior Secondary 2
Relationship between Federal, State and Local Governments
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Relationship between Federal, State and Local Governments
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Nigeria 2025 app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Civic Education (Basic)
Class: Junior Secondary 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 2
Theme: Governance
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identify natureof relationshipamong Federal,State and Local Governments; list are as of differencesbetween the Federal, Stateand Local Governments.
national interest, ensuring adherence to the Constitution and national policies. State Governments similarly supervise Local Governments, ensuring compliance with state laws and proper use of allocated funds. 2.4 Areas of Differences Between the Federal, State, and Local Governments (Performance Objective 2): The three tiers of government differ significantly in their scope, powers, responsibilities, and structures.
1. Powers and Jurisdiction (Legislative Lists): Federal Government (Exclusive Legislative List): The 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) assigns exclusive powers to the Federal Government, meaning only the National Assembly (Federal Legislature) can make laws on these matters.
Examples: Defence, external affairs, currency, customs and excise duties, immigration, citizenship, aviation, mining, copyright, police, prisons, nuclear energy, banking, federal highways, posts and telecommunications. Federal and State Governments (Concurrent Legislative List): Both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly can make laws on these matters.
However, if there is a conflict between a federal law and a state law on a concurrent matter, the federal law prevails, and the state law is null and void to the extent of the inconsistency.
Examples: Education (higher education, technical education), health, electricity generation and distribution, industrial development, scientific and technological research, statistics, archives, antiquities, environmental protection.
State Government (Residual List): Matters not on the Exclusive or Concurrent Lists fall under the Residual List, on which State Houses of Assembly can legislate.
Examples: Chieftaincy affairs, traditional institutions, local taxes (not federally mandated), land matters (subject to the Land Use Act), tourism specific to the state, regional planning.
Local Government: Derives its powers primarily from the State House of Assembly. Its functions are generally listed in the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution and further defined by state laws. These functions are typically grassroots-oriented.
Examples: Provision and maintenance of primary education (in conjunction with State), provision of health services (primary health care), construction and maintenance of roads and drainage, provision of public conveniences, markets, motor parks, control of hawking, naming of streets, refuse disposal, registration of births, deaths, and marriages.
2. Sources of Revenue: Federal Government: Largest share from the Federation Account (oil revenue, company income tax, customs duties, VAT), own internally generated revenue (IGR) from federal parastatals, agencies, and specific taxes.
State Government: Allocations from the Federation Account, internally generated revenue (e.g., PAYE income tax, road tax, property tax, licenses, fees), grants from the Federal Government.
Local Government: Allocations from the Federation Account (through the State-Local Government Joint Account), internally generated revenue (e.g., market levies, tenement rates, motor park fees), grants from the State Government.
3. Scope and Coverage: Federal Government: National coverage, impacting all citizens.
State Government: State-wide coverage, impacting residents of a particular state.
Local Government: Local community coverage, impacting residents within a specific Local Government Area.
4. Structure and Leadership: Federal Government: Executive: President (Head of State and Government).
Legislature: National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives).
Judiciary: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal High Court.
State Government: Executive: Governor (Chief Executive of the State).
Legislature: State House of Assembly.
Judiciary: State High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, Sharia Court of Appeal.
Local Government: Executive: Local Government Chairman (Chief Executive of the LGA).
Legislature: Local Government Legislative Council (Councillors). No dedicated judiciary; cases are handled by State courts (Magistrate, Area, Customary courts).
5. Key Responsibilities/Functions (Reinforcing Points from Powers and Jurisdiction): Federal: National defence, foreign policy, monetary policy, inter-state commerce, national infrastructure (major roads, airports, seaports), federal universities/hospitals.
State: State education (secondary, state universities), state health services (general hospitals), state roads, environmental protection, agriculture, industrial development within the state.
Local: Primary healthcare, primary education (shared), local roads, markets, sanitation, registration of vital events, parks and recreation at the local level. 2.5 Discussion of Concurrent and Exclusive Powers (from Evaluation Guide): Exclusive Powers (Exclusive Legislative List):** These are powers reserved solely for the Federal Government. State and Local Governments have no constitutional authority to legislate or act on these matters. This ensures national uniformity and control over critical areas.
Example: Only the National Assembly This section provides a detailed explanation of the core concepts necessary for teaching this topic. 2.1 Federalism in Nigeria: Nigeria operates a federal system of government, meaning power is constitutionally divided between a central (Federal) government and several regional (State) governments, with a further tier at the local level (Local Governments). This division of power aims to ensure effective governance across a diverse and geographically expansive nation while allowing for regional autonomy. 2.2 Tiers of Government in Nigeria: Nigeria officially recognises three tiers of government: Federal Government: The central government located in Abuja, responsible for national affairs.
State Government: Governments of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), responsible for affairs within their respective states.
Local Government: Governments at the grassroots level, responsible for local community affairs within designated local government areas (LGAs). There are 774 recognised LGAs in Nigeria. 2.3 Nature of Relationship Among Federal, State, and Local Governments (Performance Objective 1): The relationship among these tiers is multifaceted and dynamic, characterised by:
1. Hierarchical/Subordinate Relationship: Federal over State: The Federal Government is superior to State Governments on matters listed in the Exclusive Legislative List and where Federal and State laws conflict on matters in the Concurrent Legislative List (supremacy clause).
State over Local: State Governments generally exercise supervisory control over Local Governments. State laws often establish, define powers, and oversee the operations of LGAs. For example, a State House of Assembly can create new LGAs (subject to certain conditions) or dissolve existing ones, and State governments often control LGA finances and appointments.
2. Interdependent Relationship: All tiers rely on each other for effective governance and service delivery.
Financial Interdependence: State and Local Governments largely depend on allocations from the Federation Account (controlled by the Federal Government) for their revenue. The Federal Government also depends on State and Local Governments for the implementation of national policies and programmes at the grassroots.
Policy Implementation: Federal policies (e.g., national health programmes, universal basic education) are often implemented at the State and Local levels.
3. Cooperative/Collaborative Relationship: Governments often work together on projects and policies that span across jurisdictions.
Joint Ventures: For instance, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing may collaborate with a State Ministry of Works on interstate road construction, or the Federal Ministry of Health might partner with State and Local Primary Healthcare Boards for vaccination campaigns.
Security: The Nigeria Police Force (Federal) works with State Governors (Chief Security Officers of their states) and Local Government authorities to maintain law and order.
Disaster Management: NEMA (Federal) works with SEMA (State) and Local Emergency Management Committees during disasters.
4. Coordinating Relationship: Various bodies exist for coordination and consultation. Examples include the National Economic Council (NEC), comprising the Vice President, all State Governors, and the Governor of the Central Bank, which advises the President on economic affairs of the Federation. There are also inter-ministerial meetings and committees.
5. Competitive/Conflictual Relationship: Conflicts can arise due to: Revenue Allocation: Disputes over the formula for sharing revenue from the Federation Account.
Jurisdiction: Overlapping powers, especially on items in the Concurrent Legislative List, can lead to clashes (e.g., control over physical planning, environmental sanitation, or even aspects of education).
Political Differences: Disagreements between political parties controlling different tiers of government.
Resource Control: Debates over ownership and control of natural resources.
Local Government Autonomy: Local Governments often agitate for greater financial and administrative autonomy from State Governments.
6. Supervisory/Oversight Relationship: The Federal Government oversees States on matters of national interest, ensuring adherence to the Constitution and national policies. State Governments similarly supervise Local Governments, ensuring compliance with state laws and proper use of allocated funds. 2.4 Areas of Differences Between the Federal, State, and Local Governments (Performance Objective 2): The three tiers of government differ significantly in their scope, powers, responsibilities, and structures.
1. Powers and Jurisdiction (Legislative Lists): * Federal Government (Exclusive Legislative List): The 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) assigns exclusive powers to the Federal Government, meaning only the National Assembly (Federal Legislature) can make laws state health services (general hospitals), state roads, environmental protection, agriculture, industrial development within the state.
Local: Primary healthcare, primary education (shared), local roads, markets, sanitation, registration of vital events, parks and recreation at the local level. 2.5 Discussion of Concurrent and Exclusive Powers (from Evaluation Guide): Exclusive Powers (Exclusive Legislative List): These are powers reserved solely for the Federal Government. State and Local Governments have no constitutional authority to legislate or act on these matters. This ensures national uniformity and control over critical areas.
Example: Only the National Assembly can make laws on defence. A State House of Assembly cannot establish its own army or enter into a treaty with a foreign country. Concurrent Powers (Concurrent Legislative List): These are powers that both the Federal Government (National Assembly) and State Governments (State Houses of Assembly) can exercise.
However, the Federal law takes precedence in case of conflict. This allows for flexibility and adaptation to local needs within a national framework.
Example:* Both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly can make laws concerning education. The Federal Government can establish federal universities and set national educational standards, while State Governments can establish state universities and schools, adapting federal guidelines to state-specific needs. If a state law contradicts a federal law on education, the federal law will stand. This section outlines the step-by-step approach for delivering the lesson. 3.1 Teacher Activities: Introduction (10 minutes): Begin by reviewing students' prior knowledge: What is government? What are some levels of government they know?
Introduce the topic: "Relationship between Federal, State and Local Governments." Briefly explain why it's important to understand how these levels work together in Nigeria. Write the Performance Objectives on the board. Concept Definition and Explanation (20 minutes): Define "Federalism" using simple Nigerian examples (e.g., central bank for all of Nigeria, but different state governors). List and explain the three tiers of government: Federal, State, and Local, briefly identifying their heads (President, Governor, Chairman). Explain the concept of Exclusive Legislative List and Concurrent Legislative List with clear examples relevant to Nigeria (e.g., army is federal, but schools can be federal or state). Use a simple table or diagram to illustrate this.
Exploring Relationships (25 minutes): Use a 'Think-Pair-Share' activity: Ask students to think about how their community (LGA) interacts with the State government, and how the State interacts with the Federal government. Facilitate a discussion on the nature of relationships: Hierarchical: Explain how LGAs are accountable to States, and States to the Federal in certain areas (e.g., obeying federal laws, financial oversight). Provide examples like a State governor appointing LGA caretaker committees or the Federal Government intervening in a state of emergency.
Interdependent/Cooperative: Discuss how they work together (e.g., funding, policy implementation). Use examples like polio vaccination campaigns (Federal policy, implemented by States and LGAs), or road projects connecting multiple states.
Conflictual: Briefly mention potential areas of disagreement (e.g., revenue sharing, overlapping responsibilities). Use a flow chart on the board to visually represent these relationships.
Identifying Differences (25 minutes): Group Activity: Divide students into three groups. Assign each group one tier of government (Federal, State, Local).
Task each group to list: The head of their assigned government tier. Two key responsibilities/functions specific to their tier. One major source of revenue for their tier. Allow groups 10-15 minutes for discussion and listing. Have each group present their findings. As they present, the teacher should summarise and clarify on the board, creating a comparative table of differences (Powers, Structure, Revenue, Scope). Emphasise the distinctions between the Exclusive, Concurrent, and Residual lists in defining the powers of each tier.
Summary and Wrap-up (5 minutes): Recap the main types of relationships and key differences discussed. Address any remaining questions. 3.2 Student Activities: Active Listening and Note-taking: Students will listen attentively to explanations and take down important points.
Participation in Discussions: Students will contribute to class discussions, sharing their ideas and asking clarifying questions.
Think-Pair-Share: Students will individually reflect on the relationships before discussing with a partner and sharing with the class.
Group Work: Students will collaborate in assigned groups to research and present the characteristics of a specific tier of government.
Presentation: Group representatives will present their findings to the class.
Questioning: Students will ask questions about concepts they do not understand.
Community Development Projects: Teachers can relate the topic to local infrastructure projects. For instance, the construction of a feeder road in a rural community might be initiated by the Local Government, but funding or technical support might come from the State Government or even Federal grants for rural development. Similarly, the construction of a new primary health centre involves the Local Government (site, local management), State Government (staffing, supervision), and Federal Government (national health policies, funding contributions). This illustrates the interdependent and cooperative nature of their relationships. Understanding Public Services and Citizen Engagement: Explain to students that understanding the different tiers helps them know who to approach for specific issues. If their local market needs renovation, they approach the LGA. If a state-owned secondary school needs attention, it's the State Government. For issues like national security or passport applications, it's the Federal Government. This knowledge empowers them to engage effectively with the right authorities and understand the electoral process at different levels. Revenue Allocation and Resource Control Debates: Integrate current affairs by briefly mentioning ongoing discussions about revenue allocation formula or calls for "resource control." This demonstrates how the differences in revenue sources and powers can lead to competitive or conflictual relationships, impacting national cohesion and development. Students can see how the constitutional division of powers directly influences economic and political debates in Nigeria.