Local government is established in order to _________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks about the main purpose for which local government is set up. It is a straightforward Government (Civics) concept question.

Step 2: Explain the concept Local government is the third tier of government, below the federal and state levels. In Nigeria, it is recognized by the 1999 Constitution. Its key purposes include:

• Bringing government closer to the grassroots, so that people in rural and urban communities can access government services
• Encouraging popular participation in governance
• Providing basic services such as markets, primary healthcare, roads, sanitation, and the registration of births and deaths
• Handling local matters that state and federal governments cannot manage efficiently
• Promoting local development

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Bring government nearer to the people: This is correct. It is the central reason for decentralizing power to the local level.
• B. Build churches and mosques: Wrong. Nigeria is a secular state, and building places of worship is not a function of government.
• C. Curb corruption in the society: Wrong. This is the job of agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC and the judiciary, not the purpose for which local government exists.
• D. Promote political apathy: Wrong. Local government is meant to do the opposite, by encouraging participation and political awareness.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. bring government nearer to the people.

Step 5: Exam tip When you see "local government is established to...", think "closeness to the grassroots". The keywords to remember are decentralization, grassroots, participation, and development. Options that mention negative ideas like apathy, or functions belonging to other bodies, are usually distractors.