CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
(A STUDY OF ENUGU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ENUGU STATE)
ABSTRACT
This research work examined “Crisis Management in Nigeria Local Government Area with Enugu North Local Government as a case study. The objectives of the study include to: find out the extent of crisis management in Nigeria local government, investigate the causes of crisis in Nigeria local government and examine the strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government. The research method adopted was the survey research method. The major instrument of data collection was the questionnaire. The sources of data were the primary and secondary sources of data. The population of the study was 511 while the sample size of 225 was arrived at using Taro Yamane’s formular. The hypotheses were tested using the chi-square distribution formular. The data collected were presented in tables, using frequencies and percentages and analyzed using inferential statistics. The findings include that Crisis has not been managed to a significant extent in Nigeria local government and there are causes of crisis in Nigeria local government, the causes of crisis in the Nigeria local government include competition for resources, differences in value system and psychological needs. The researcher concludes that crisis management in the local government is very important for the organization to achieve their objectives. The recommendations include that local government administrators, should regularly go on crisis management training, as crisis is a daily occurrence, during crisis, the key audiences, should be kept informed, the causes of crisis in Nigeria local government should be studied, so as to always nip it in the bud.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the study                        
1.2    Statement of the Problem                        
1.3    Objectives of the Study                        
1.4    Research Questions                            
1.5    Research Hypotheses                                              
1.6    Significance of the Study                        
1.7    Scope of the Study                            
1.8    Limitations of the Study                        
1.9    Operational Definition of Terms                     
References                                    
CHAPTER TWO  
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1    Conceptual Framework of the Study                    
2.1.1 The Concept of Crisis                        
2.1.2    Types of Crisis                                
2.1.3    Characteristics of Crisis                        
2.1.4    Concept of Crisis Management                    
2.1.5 Features of crisis management                    
2.1.6 Need for Crisis Management                    
2.1.7    Extent of Crisis Management in Nigeria
Local Government                             
2.1.8    Causes of Crisis in Nigeria Local Government          
2.1.10 Strategies of Crisis Management in Nigeria
Local Government                            
2.2    Theoretical Framework of the Study                
2.2.1 Structural-Functional Systems Theory              
2.2.2 Contingency Planning Theory                     
2.3    Historical Background of Enugu North Local
Government Area                            
2.4    Empirical Review                             
2.5    Summary of Literature Review                     
References                                    
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1    Research Design                             
3.2    Area of the Study                            
3.3    Sources of Data                            
3.3.1 Primary Source of Data                        
3.3.2 Secondary Source of Data                    
3.4    Population of the Study                        
3.5     Determination of Sample Size                    
3.6    Sampling Procedure                            
3.7    sample distribution                             
3.8    Method of Data Collection/Instrumentation        
3.9    Validity of the instrument                        
3.10 Reliability of the Instrument                    
3.11     Techniques of Data Analysis                     
References                                    
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND Discussion of Findings  
4.1    Data presentation and analysis                 
4.2    Testing of Hypotheses                        
4.3    Discussion of findings                        
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1    Summary of Findings                        
5.2    Conclusion                                
5.3    Recommendations                             
5.4    Contribution to knowledge                    
5.5    Suggestion for further research                
Bibliography                                    
Appendix                                         
Questionnaire                                     
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the Study
Crisis are found at every stage of life. Individuals, groups, associations, clubs, societies, local, national and even the whole world continue to experience crisis in one way or the other (Alabi, 2004:311). Crisis are features of life and they have been, since the beginning of creation. Crises between darkness and light and even among the first set of human beings created on earth. So crises are permanent features of life, which we have come to live and cope with and resolve from time to time. In the words of Albert (2013:77), the existence of crises cannot be terminated in life, unless we want to terminate life itself.
    However, a poorly handled crisis could become violent or destructive which could hinder the progress and smooth operation of the organization (Kesterner, 2012:86). Thus effective strategies that can help to nib crisis in the bud and to prevent it from escalating, if it erupts, as well as to sustain peace to avert future occurrence of crises and their attendant large scale effects should be developed and sustained by any organization that seeks growth.
According to Fajobi (2012:66), the local government constitutes the most critical level of government at which the momentum to sustain national development can be created. As from 1976, the national leaders all over the world and even their followers started to change their erstwhile attitude towards local government for a more positive appreciation of the role of this level of government. Consequently, they started to think of more functions, more finance and more qualified manpower for this level of government.
Unfortunately, the local government has been characterized by instability and discontinuity emanating from
one crisis situation or the other (Adeyinka, 2012:106). These crises are often prompted by the activity of the federal government and other environmental factors which usually lead to complete dissolution and or take over of functions of the management group by government appointed administrators. In other words, the local government of this country have always been subjected to the whims and caprices of the federal government and state government and most at times, this has resulted in one crisis or the other.
Every crisis has four (4) main stages and allowing each crisis to pass through the four stages have been the bare of effective local government in Nigeria (Ahmed, 2011:92). The four stages of crisis include prodromal stage (early warning stage), acute stage, chronic stage and resolution stage. Crisis management is aimed at avoiding the acute and chronic stage of crisis. A crisis is said to be effectively managed, if it moves directly from the prodromal stage to resolution stage, but we are aware that this has not been the case in the local government. Their crises have been known to have gone through the four stages with inevitable consequences. It is quite unfortunate, however, that the chosen implementation strategies for stabilizing and rationalizing local government organizations seem to have resulted in unanticipated policy outcomes. As a matter of fact, it is clear to all that the aims of establishing the local government in Nigeria, which is to be an effective third tier of the government has not been realized. It is believed that this is mainly due to the inability of the local government to effectively manage the forms of crises that afflicted it since their inception. It is against this background that crisis management in local government is being investigated.
1.2    Statement of the Problem
    The consequences of allowing crisis to pass through the acute and chronic stages i.e not managing crisis effectively, is devastating in an organization. It has led to local government, as the third tier of government not carrying out their functions effectively. Local governments have not been able to make appropriate services and development activities responsive to local wishes and initiatives by developing or delegating such services to local government representative bodies. It has also led to the local governments not being able to facilitate and bring the exercise of democratic governance close to the local levels of our society and to encourage initiative and leadership potentials.
Finally, it has led to the local government not being able to mobilize human and material resources through involvement of members of the public in their local government.
1.3    Objectives of the Study       
    The broad objective of the study is to examine crisis management in Nigeria while, the specific objectives include:
1.    To find out the extent of crisis management in Nigeria local government area.
2.    To investigate the causes of crisis in Nigeria local government.
3.    To examine the strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government.
1.4    Research Questions
    Based on the objectives of the study, the following research questions were raised.
1.    To what extent has crisis been managed in Nigeria local government?
2.    What are the causes of crisis in Nigeria local government?
3.    What are the strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government?
1.5    Research Hypotheses
    Based on the research questions, the following hypotheses were formulated
Hypothesis One
Ho:     Crisis has not been managed to a significant extent in Nigeria local government.
Hi:    Crisis has been managed to a significant extent in Nigeria local government.
Hypothesis Two
Ho:    There are no causes of crisis in Nigeria local government.
Hi:    There are causes of crisis in Nigeria local government.
Hypothesis Three
Ho:    There are no strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government.
Hi:    There are strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government.
1.6    Significance of the Study
So many people will benefit from this research work. Among them are the local governments in Nigeria, the general public, the researcher, the universities etc. The local government will benefit from the study because they will be more enlightened on how to manage crisis. The general public will benefit because it will bring development to the grassroot. The researcher will benefit from the study because it is a partial requirement for the award of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Business Administration. The universities will benefit, because the research increases their data bank. Finally, the research work serves as a reference material for further research on this topic.
1.7    Scope of the Study
    The research work covered the extent of crisis management in Nigeria local government, the causes of crisis in Nigeria local government and the strategies of crisis management in Nigeria local government. The local government covered was Enugu North Local Government Area.
1.8    Limitations of the Study
    The researcher encountered some impediments in the course of carrying out this study. Among them were finance, time and uncooperative of the respondents.
Finance: The researcher spent some money surfing through the internet and printing out relevant materials related to the research work.
Time: The researcher missed some lectures, while trying to meet up with appointments, with the staff of Enugu North Local Government Area.
Uncooperative attitude of respondents: The workers of Enugu North were initially economical with information, but when they confirmed that the research was purely for academic purpose, they gave out useful information related to the research work.
1.9    Operational Definition of Terms
Crisis: A sudden and unexpected event leading to major unrest amongst the individuals at the workplace.
Crisis Management: This is a process by which an organization deals with a major event that threatens to harm the organization, its stakeholders or the general public.
Local Government: This can be seen as the administration under local committees to maintain law and order based on range of social amenities and to encourage cooperation and participation of people at the grassroots to improve their living conditions.
REFERENCES
Alabi, T (2014) Choosing the Right Words: The Development of Guidelines for the Selection of the Appropriate Crisis Response Strategies. Management Communication Quarterly. 8 (7); 311.
Albert, D (2013) An Analysis Framework for Crisis Situations: Better Responses from a better understanding of the situation. Journal of Public Relations Research. 10 (3); 77.
Adeyinka, S (2012) Crisis Management: Advantages of Relational Perspective. Journal of Relationship Management. 3 (5); 106
Ahmed, M. (2011) Crisis and Crisis Management: Oaks, California; Sage Publications.
Fajobi, B. (2012) The Protective Powers of Crisis Response Strategies: Managing Reputational Assets During A Crisis; Journal of Promotional Management. 12 (3); 66
Kesterner, A (2012) Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing and Responding. New York; Free Press.