The effect of administrative decentralization on service delivery among administrative staffs in Central Equatorial state, South Sudan. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64792/9m0x9r75Keywords:
Effects of administrative decentralization, Central Equatorial state, South Sudan, service deliveryAbstract
Background.
Administrative decentralization (sometimes referred as institutional decentralization) involves the full or partial transfer of any array of functional responsibilities to the local level institutions such as health care service, the operation of schools, the management service personnel, the buildings and maintenance of roads and garbage collection. This study sought to assess the effect of administrative decentralization on service delivery in Central Equatorial state, South Sudan.
Methodology.
The study adopted both descriptive cross-sectional survey research design and explanatory research design to identify, analyze, and describe the relationship between financial decentralization and service delivery. The target population of the study was the county administration staff. Stratified random sampling technique was used. A representative sample of 150 residents (50 from each county) was selected. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis.
Result.
Administrative decentralization demonstrated a statistically significant influence on service delivery in Central Equatorial State with the highest mean of 4.03. 73% of the participants agreed that county government has adequate autonomy to contract services without direction from the national government, 88% agreed that the county government has autonomy to hire new employees, 85% of the respondents agreed that the county government has autonomy to fire county employees and 89% agreed that county government has power to sign employment contracts with county employees.
Conclusion.
There was statistically significant influence of administrative decentralization on service delivery in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan. It was possible to infer that the relationship between administrative decentralization and service delivery is positive and significant.
Recommendation
National government should grant county government greater autonomy to contract services at county level, hire and fire county employees, sign employment contracts and increase expertise of county employees.
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