Local Government Councils and Infrastructural Development in Rivers State, 2015 – 2025

This empirical investigation examined the local government councils and infrastructural development in Rivers State, spanning the period 2015-2025. The study was guided by two research objectives, namely: to examine the role of local government councils on the construction of feeder roads; to investigate the contribution of local government councils in human capital development; The theoretical framework was anchored on the systems theory A survey research design was adopted, entailing the utilization of both primary and secondary data. Primary data were sourced through questionnaires and interviews, while secondary data were derived from extant literature, including textbooks, academic journals, and online resources. Data analysis was conducted using simple percentage statistical methods, and chi-square tests were employed to test hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that fiscal constraints, malfeasance, implementation impediments, deficient technical expertise, inadequate civic engagement, and onerous bureaucratic processes cumulatively hindered the development of rural road infrastructure in the specified local government areas of Rivers State. Furthermore, primary healthcare services were found to be grossly inadequate due to inadequate funding, poor infrastructural facilities, cultural and religious obstacles, and limited accessibility. Consequent upon these findings, the study recommended that local government councils should augment budgetary allocations to address fiscal constraints, ensure transparent management, strengthen accountability, and reduce bureaucratic impediments to facilitate the construction and maintenance of feeder roads, thereby boosting infrastructural development. Additionally, local government councils should ameliorate the prevailing deficiencies in primary healthcare services by augmenting funding allocations and facilitating the enhancement of infrastructural facilities to bolster healthcare services in Rivers State.