The local government administration in many West African countries is faced with a myriad of problems one of which is

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for one of the major problems facing local government administration in many West African countries.

Step 2: The concept Local government is the level of government closest to the people. It is meant to bring development to the grassroots, but it often struggles with these common problems:

• Inadequate funds and poor revenue generation
• Heavy dependence on central or state government allocations
• Interference from higher levels of government
• Corruption and mismanagement
• Shortage of qualified personnel
• Weak institutions, meaning poorly structured, poorly empowered bodies with little autonomy

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Employment retention: This is not a recognized problem. The usual complaint is poor staff quality or a shortage of skilled staff, not difficulty retaining employment.
• B. Illiterate traditional authorities: Traditional rulers are generally not described as a core administrative problem of local government. This option is too narrow and not a standard textbook point.
• C. Unavailability of land: Land is generally available at the local level. Land-use disputes may occur, but they are not a defining administrative problem.
• D. Weak institution: Local government bodies often lack autonomy, have weak structures, are poorly funded, and are subject to interference. This is widely recognized as a major challenge.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is D. weak institution.

Tip: In Government questions on local administration problems, look for words like funds, corruption, interference, weak institutions, lack of autonomy, and shortage of skilled personnel. Options that sound unusual, such as "unavailability of land," are usually distractors.