The State of Decentralized Service Delivery: The Case of Abobo and Gog Woredas in Gambella Regional State
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
7he Ini/pose o(lhis Sllld,' \\'(/.1' (() ossess Ihe slole o(decelill"llli~ed sl'/'I'ices delil'erl' in I'iell' oFhtll'illg
Ihe reqllired illslillliioll.\' olld Iheir per/ill'lllollC<', Ihe IWII'CI"/ollilwrily of locol gm'el'l1l1/ellls, Ihe
/il/(illciol olld hllll/Oll rcsources olld Icn'l o( COllllllllllin' porticipOlioll of Ihe ,m"/,' \\'{Irec/os. The
SII"Z)' 11 '0.1' COIIc/llcled ill 1\1'0 \I'oredos ill (joll/hcllo Regiollol Siole, 7i) IIICCI Ihe ohm'e ohjeclil'c
Foclls grollp disCllssiollS, illlCI'I'iclI's olld ohs<'F\'({lioll 11'('1''' also COlldllcted lI'ith key ill/ill'lllOllts,
professiollals allli COllllllllllil), repre,H'lIlotil'es. Jl/orem'er, obs('I'\'({tioll and appropriale dO('lllllellts
Irere also IIsed to trionglliote the exislillg dow, Qllalitative dow analysis was elllployed to ossess
the tl'lle nat lire oj' the topic IIl1der illl'cstigalioll. III Ethiopia Ihe second phase 0{ DLDP has
lallnched ill 200-1 bllt it Itas illlplelllellted at Call1bella Regiollal State sillce 2005, Tlte lIIaill
objectives oj'DLDP illellldes deepenillg devoilltion of power to the lower level goVel'l1l11elllS,
institlltionalizing the decision lIIaking pOlreJ', enhancing the deillocratization process or promoting
good governance, improl'ing se!Tice delil'elY and creating viable developllleni centers at the
wore do level. However, despite sllch legal ji-allleworks, the study found alit that \I'oreda
decentralization in general and service delivelY in particular had not been implemented adequately
dlle to several reasons. It is challenged by many problems such as limited autonolllY, severe skilled
hllman resources capacity, aellie blldgel shortage, lower revenue bases, weak organizational and
institutional capacity, Poor il1ler-governmel7lal relations and partners with differenl stakeholders, a
top down hierarchical relationship between sectors offices and services units (schools and health
units), Regarding participation, there is no well established mechanisms and capacity for
conducting real community participation. Thus, Power is nol yel adequately devolved and resources
are nol Iransferred to local governmel7ls and Ihe expected expansion of public services has not been
achieved. Hence, there is mismatch bel ween legal and political pronouncemenls and an aClual praclice,
11 was generally l~ecol11mended Ihal 10 make decenlralizalion meaningf'ill and improve service delivery,
woreda governmenl should be capacilaled with financial and manpower resources. Power should be
developed adequalely 10 Ihe woredas and seClrJfoffices,
Description
Keywords
State of Decentralized Service Delivery