Trainers’ Manual on Gender in Local Councils in the Republic of South Sudan
Appendix 7: Case Studies of Local Government Case study I: The District Local Governments Mandate in Uganda The Local Governments are established under Chapter 11 by Articles 176-207 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. The Local Government Act, 1997 sets out the following major objectives for Local Governments: r Give full effect to the decentralisation of functions, powers, responsibilities and services at all levels of Local Government. r Ensure democratic participation and control of decision making by people concerned r To establish affirmative action on behalf of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of addressing imbalances which exist against them r To establish sources of revenue and financial accountability r To provide for the election of Local Councils r To establish and provide for the composition of interim councils for newly created Local Government units pending elections. r To provide for formation of interim executive committees Case Study II: Local Councils in the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 in its fourth schedule details the functions of Local Government councils to include, the consideration and the making of recommendations to the Commission on the economic planning or any similar body on: r The economic development of the State in regard especially to areas of authority of the council and of the State affected; r Collection of rates, radio and television licences; r Establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute and infirms; r Establishment, maintenance and regulation of slaughter houses, slaughter slabs market, motor parks and public conveniences; r Construction and maintenance of roads, street lightings, drains and other public highways, parks etc; r Naming of roads, streets; r Registration of all births, deaths etc r Assessment of privately owned houses or tenements for purposes of levying rates; r Control and regulation of advertising, movement and keeping of pets, restaurants bakeries, laundries; r Control and sale of liquor. The functions of councils shall include the participation of such a council in the government of a state in respect to the following matters: Education; Agriculture; Health services; And others as conferred by the House of Assembly.
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