GOVERNMENT

This study appraises the role of local governments in Nigeria's national development, with a focus on Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) in Edo State from 2016 to 2024. Grounded in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, it examines how local gover ments contribute to socio- economic progress amid constitutional mandates for infrastructure, health, education, and
urban planning. Key challenges, including corruption, fiscal dependency, political interference, and institutional weaknesses, are identified as significant barriers to effective governance. Employing a descriptive survey design with elements of content analysis, data were collected from 150 purposively selected respondents—comprising government officials, community leaders, and residents—using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and secondary sources. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means) and inferential tests (Chi- square) analyzed responses, testing hypotheses on constitutional fulfillment, challenges, and project impacts. Findings reveal moderate execution of constitutional functions (mean score: 2.58), with infrastructure projects showing positive economic effects but limited overall socio-economic transformation (χ² = 2.16, p = 0.1416). Digitization and globalization offered benefits but were constrained by poor ICT infrastructure. Hypotheses confirmed significant hindrances from challenges (χ² = 24.00, p < 0.0001) and partial mandate achievement. The study concludes that empowering local governments through fiscal autonomy and reforms is essential for sustainable development. Recommendations include anti-corruption measures, capacity building, and enhanced digitization. This research addresses literature gaps on localized governance, providing insights for policymakers to align local efforts with Sustainable Development Goals.

This study investigated the level of utilization of science facilities in Early childhood education (ECE) classrooms in Oredo Local Government area, Edo State. The study also sought to find out the extent to which science facilities were available in ECE classrooms in Oredo Local Government Area. The differences in the level of utilization of science facilities based on location, categories of teachers, and ownership of schools were areas of interest in this work. Five research questions were raised to guide the study. Two research questions were answered while three
were formulated into hypotheses and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. 175 teachers formed the sample of the study. The instrument titled “The level of availability of science facilities in ECE classrooms” was a self designed checklist by the researcher to collect data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and independent sample t-test. The following were among the findings: The majority of science facilities are highly available in Early Childhood Education (ECE) classrooms in Oredo Local Government Area, the level of utilization was at least once a month, there were no significant differences in the level of utilization of science facilities in early childhood classrooms in Oredo Local Government Area based on location, categories of teachers and ownership of schools. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the number of utilization should be increased to once a week. Science is very vital in the life of a human being and it plays a crucial role in the development and understanding of the world. Once in a month is not adequate for science experience because it may not be sufficient to foster a deep and lasting appreciation for the subject. To enhance a child’s engagement in science activities, it is beneficial to increase the frequency of the utilization to at least once a week so that the child gets used to science activities.