Local Governments and the Conundrum of Service Delivery in Nigeria: What Policy Implications?

Abstract

Local governments, the world over, in a bid to fulfil their role in delivering essential goods and services, are faced with enormous challenges and contend with allocating resources to meet up with increasing demands for public service. Adopting a multistage sampling method, the study sampled 400 respondents selected from 3 Local Council development Areas [LCDAs] covering 10 communities in Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Findings from the study indicated that lack of autonomy, corruption, and poor planning are the major challenges confronting local governments in service delivery in Nigeria. It also concludes that the challenges of service delivery by local governments are not restricted to rural areas alone, rather, local governments in urban areas suffer the same fate. The study, therefore, made policy recommendations which include the setting up of a Community Education System (CES) to sensitize the local government residents on the role of local governments in service delivery; setting up of Community Feedback Monitoring System (CFMS) to promote transparency, accountability and probity and the formation of Community Anti-Corruption Volunteers’ Group (CACVG) for campaigning against corruption at the local government level.