ABSTRACT
This study examines the capacity of the Local Governments in managing the education and health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programmes in selected Local Governments in Kaduna and Zamfara States. The federal government has sunk in enormous resources and effort to strengthen states and local government's capacities in managing the MDGs programme yet there is a wide gap between the performance of the local government and the attainment of the MDGs targets in education and health.
Four hypotheses are formulated thus; the MDGs intervention effort in education has no significant impact on the capacity of the local government to manage primary education; the enhanced capacity of the local government has not significantly impacted on the achievement of the MDGs targets in education; the MDGs intervention effort in health has no significant impact on the capacity of the local government to manage primary health care and finally, the enhanced capacity of the local government has not significantly impacted on the achievement of the MDGs targets in health.
The multi stage sampling technique was used to draw our sampled size. Interviews, questionnaire and observation techniques were also employed to generate our primary data and to complement that the secondary data were sourced and extensively used. The model (framework) for service delivery developed by Soucat, Agnes and Manju Rani (2003) whose
focus is on relationship of accountability for service delivery was used as a theoretical framework for this study. The study found out that those MDGs intervention efforts have not significantly impacted on Local Government's capacities in providing education and health care services and thus the local government capacity significantly undermined the attainment of the MDGs targets in education and health. The study therefore recommends that the MDGs intervention funds should be made sufficient and emphasis should be given to infrastructural, human, managerial skills and competence of the LGEA AND PHC managers and staff.
