Strategies for Public Finance Good Governance: A Case for Urban Councils

The project focuses on how urban councils could manage their finances effectively and efficiently. The assumption of the writer is that revenues generated by urban councils are inadequate. The elasticity of the revenue bases is limited. Besides own revenues, urban councils are assisted by central governments through grants like matching (tied) grants, block (untied or general) grants and specific (tied) grants. However, the principles of good governance that could be followed by urban councils include; transparency, accountability, responsibility, rule of law, democratic participatory decision making and many others. Different academics are influenced by their academic backgrounds and have defined these principles differently. To implement the principles, urban councils need to establish clear and correct financial administrative and control systems. They also need good institutional structures because there is a strong link between institutional development and the establishment of good governance. Thus many problems associated with financial management that are confronted by urban councils seem to emanate from poor administration, poor auditing system, poor decision making, poor financial management strategies and lack of skilled manpower. Reforms are retarded by lack of political (councilors) and professional (employees) commitment.