Evaluation of Local Government Service Delivery for Policy Direction: A Case of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Abstract

Available facts reveal that more than seventy percent of Nigeria’s population emanate from rural areas; where local government is constitutionally empowered to provide social and public services such as electricity, health centers, water supply, schools and roads. Informed by recent controversies surrounding the granting of autonomy to local governments and as reliable vehicles for service delivery, this paper seeks to examine specific policies that enhance service delivery at the local level and evaluates performance in Nigeria’s fourth republic. By relying on qualitative data, extensive literature review and descriptive analysis, this paper reflects on the 1976 local government reforms and the objectives of decentralization in Nigeria, debates present state and nature of service delivery by various administrations. I argue that service delivery is strongly administered at the federal and state government levels respectively while in most cases the local governments are marginalized, hence, treated as mere appendages or toys for both state and federal governments. The paper however concludes that there is incremental effect of service delivery when policies address felt-needs of the local people through local governments resulting to improved wellbeing and human resource development, accelerative productivity and income generation, market expansion, rapid decline in rural-urban migration and crime rates, less dependent on foreign aids and imported goods, popular participation, effective decision making and political stability.

Keywords: Local government, Nigeria, policy, programme evaluation, service delivery.