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| Governance Decentralization and Service Delivery in Local Government in Nigeria: A Study of South--East Geopolitical Zone
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Udeaja, Ginika Chinyere and Prof. Amobi, Dennis Success
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Abstract:
Decentralization aims to bring decision-making closer to the people with the intention of enhancing governance and service delivery. This study's primary objective was to investigate the impact of governance decentralization on service delivery within Local Government areas in Nigeria, focusing on the southeast geopolitical zone. The research utilized a combination of descriptive survey research design and explanatory research design to explore, analyze, and elucidate the relationship between governance decentralization and service delivery. The study encompassed a population of 4,166,964 individuals. A multiphase sampling approach was employed to select the study's subjects, with the use of stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques to determine the sample of local governments and local government officials included in the study. A pilot test was carried out to identify any shortcomings in the study's design and instrumentation. Out of the 338 respondents initially approached, 275 successfully completed the questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 81.36%. The internal reliability of each variable used in the study was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The findings of this research demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between governance decentralization and service delivery in Local Government areas in Nigeria. More specifically, the study revealed that both financial decentralization and political decentralization had a positive and significant impact on service delivery. Consequently, the study concluded that governance decentralization played a significant role in influencing service delivery outcomes. As a result of these findings, the study recommends the facilitation and promotion of practices related to financial decentralization and political decentralization to enhance service delivery within Local Government areas in Nigeria.
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