A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANISATIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF SOCIAL SERVICES IN SELECTED STATES OF SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA (1997-2005)
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Date
2007
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Abstract
This study examined and compared the delivery of social
services by Local Government and Community-based Organizations
(CBOs) in selected states of Ekiti, Ogun and Osun of Southwestern
Nigeria between 1997 and 2005. The social services which the study
focused on were: road, water, electricity, health care and education.
This was with a view to ascertaining the usefulness of co-production
strategy to the delivery of social services.
Both primary and secondary data were used for the study.
Primary data were obtained through the use of structured
questionnaires, oral interviews and observation techniques. Four
hundred and forty questionnaires were administered on the leaders
(Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers) of Community Development
Councils (CDCs) using stratified sampling technique. Also, five
hundred and eighty two questionnaires were administered on the
senior staffs of local government that were directly involved in the
delivery of social services using stratified sampling technique. The
questionnaires assessed respondents' opinions not only on the
performance of local government and CBOs in the delivery of social
services, but also on local government delivery vis-a-vis community
delivery. The questionnaires also assessed respondents' views on
the relevance and usefulness of co-production strategy in social
service delivery. Out of a total of one thousand and twenty two questionnaires administered to the two categories of respondents,
nine hundred and twenty (90 percent) were retrieved. To complement
the data extracted from questionnaires, interviews were also
conducted with eighteen CDC leaders and nine local government
senior staff. The interviews focused, not only on how local
government and CBOs delivered social services, but also on the
need for collaboration between local government and CBOs in the
delivery of social services. With the use of observation techniques,
some projects on road, water, electricity, health care and education
were surveyed and photographs of some of them were taken.
Secondary data were collected from relevant textbooks, government
documents and records of social services delivered. The data were
analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.