African Journal of Public Administration and Management: Special Edition January-June 2016
Special edition of this journal on the delivery of basic services in Africa
Abstract
The delivery of basic services remains a challenge in Africa. The seeming failure of governments to meet citizens’ basic service needs in terms of reach and quality has been attributed to, among other things, the rapid rate and level of urbanisation and resource constraints. However, the 2004 World Development Report (WDR) Making Services Work for Poor People located the problem in governance deficiencies. Presenting both the long and short route accountability, the key question was how to make public services more accountable and responsive to the needs of the poorest in the developing world (DfID 2008). The WDR’s discussed the “long route of accountability” that principally relies on voting as a political back lash to hold leaders accountable and “the short route”, which relies on increasing the client’s effective influence over service providers. In the context of the three key relationships in the service delivery chain: between the consumer and providers, between the consumer and policymakers, and between policymakers and providers. The overall aim was to provide governments unable to meet the growing demand for services with service delivery options that improve accountability and the quantity and quality of services provided.
Citation
African Journal of Public Administration and Management Special Edition Vol. XXIV No. 1. January – June 2016.
Link
African Journal of Public Administration and Management
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