A CASE STUDY ON DECENTRALISATION

AS A TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER

FRIENDLY SERVICE DELIVERY
BY
ASHIMI JAMIU ADEWALE
PERMANENT SECRETARY
MINISTRY OF TOURISM ARTS AND CULTURE
 Introduction

u  The paper is divided into six parts:

u  Introduction
u  The Background
u  Challenges
u  Strategies
u  Outcomes
u  Conclusion
u  This case study focuses on the use of decentralization in
achieving effective service delivery at the Lagos State Local
Government Pensions Board.
u  The strategy led to elimination of fatality among the very old
pensioners
u  Reduced sharp practices from those exploiting the rowdiness
of the centralised verification exercise to perpetuate fraud
u  Hence achievement of more accurate data base for
payment of monthly pensions.
 Background

u  Decentralizationin the Public Service has always been a

subject of controversy
u  Whilethe proponents have stressed the positive benefits of
ensuring efficient service delivery at the grassroots
u  Theopponents have argued that the level of institutional
development at the grassroots will make decentralization a
disaster if the capacity for management at this level is
lacking the possibility of mismanagement of such additional
responsibilities is very high
u  In a paper titled “The Impact of Decentralization in Service Delivery, Corruption,
Fiscal Management and Growth in Developing and Emerging Market Economies:
A Synthesis of Empirical Evidence by Anwar Shah, Theresa Thompson and Zeng-
Fu Zou, observed myriad of outcomes as a result of implementation of
decentralization in many developing countries.
u  In some cases the study revealed negative impact with high perceived
corruption and poor service delivery. In some cases the impacts were
inconclusive as the local officials may have good understanding of local needs
but their responses were inadequate because of procedural, financing and
governance constraints.
u  There were also many empirical cases of decentralization with positive impacts
leading to increase in transparency, reduction in corruption and successful
provision of services that addressed local needs.
u  In theory, decentralization is expected to ensure responsiveness accountability,
efficiency and equity. However absence of:
u  Effective Coordination and Capacity to deliver service
u  Stakeholders understanding and support could negate the positive expectations
from decentralization.
u  As part of the Public Sector Reforms carried out in Nigeria between 1999 and 2003,
a new Pensions Scheme- the Contributory Pension Scheme (Funded by the
Government and Contributions by Staff) was introduced.
u  The old Pensions Scheme (Funded by the Government) is expected to continue to
decrease until the last beneficiary dies. To ensure accurate data base of Alive
Pensioners, there is annual ‘I am Alive’ Verification Exercise
 CHALLENGES

u  Prior to the 2013 “I am Alive Exercise” the verification exercise was carried out at
one location for the over 10000 Pensioners
u  The exercise was always rowdy
u  Cases of fatalities recorded
u  Fraudulent individuals capitalised on the rowdiness to smuggle fake names into the
list of cleared pensioners
u  Overloaded monthly pensioners payment by the board
u  The amount released by state government for the Verification Exercise had been
decreasing yearly
u  The management was thus faced with the challenge to decentralise to address the
rowdiness created by centralization and to find innovative ways to achieve better
result in the face of dwindling resources
 STRATEGIES DEPLOYED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

u  A stakeholders meeting was held where agreement was reached to

decentralise the exercise in to 12 out of the 57 Local Governments
u  A total of twelve screening panels were constituted excluding staff of
the Pensions Board including representatives of the Pensioners Union for
the group of Local Government Councils at each venue
u  Since the venue were spread throughout the state, the places of abode
of members were taking into consideration in determining their
placement on panels to reduce transport allowance and avoid
payment of accommodation allowance
u  To implement this change within available budget, the Council Managers (now Heads of
Administration) in the selected Local Governments were contacted and they provided
canopies, chairs, medical staff and first aid facilities and conveniences
u  The lists of Pensioners for each of the 12 venues were prepared
u  Each List was divided into 8 groups
u  Each group was assigned a day to appear for the verification
u  The last two days of the 10-day exercise were reserved for complaints and those who
missed assigned dates
u  A one-day training programme was conducted for the panelists and selected staff of the
relevant Local Government used as venue to ensure smooth verification exercise
 OUTCOMES

u  As a result of the strategies deployed, the exercise recorded no casualty that year.
u  The screening time per Pensioner was reduced in most cases to 5 minutes.
u  The monthly pensioners pay was reduced from average of N210, 000,000 to N184,
000,000 monthly.
u  The travel distance to the venue was also reduced considerably to less than 2
kilometers.
u  At the end of the exercise not all the funds released to augment the fund provided
by the state government for the exercise were utillised.
u  Finally, the Union of Pensioners wrote a letter to commend management for
organizing the most effective Verification in the history of the Exercise.
 CONCLUSION

u  Decentralization can be deployed for delivery of customer friendly service

is decentralization if carefully managed
u  Through careful coordination of efforts, enlistment of stakeholders support,
building the capacity of grassroots officials through joint implementation
of service delivery with experienced state officials and training
u  It can be deployed to bring service closer to the grassroots.
u  Public Servants should as much as possible review and evaluate modus
operandi to accommodate changes that will improve impact of their
service delivery.
u THANK YOU