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LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALIZED SERVICE DELIVERY IN ETHIOPIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SIX RURAL AND URBAN WOREDAS [Abstract ID: 0704-07]
In both developed and developing countries, decentralisation is primarily motivated by the need to improve governance and public service delivery. The key argument is that decentralisation improves service provision by empowering local governments and matching the local capacity with the functional responsibilities. Besides, in as much as the multiple levels of governments share the same goal of delivering services to the citizens, the institutional coordination and partnership between the levels of governments determine the capacity to meet the dynamic demands in service provisions. The objective of this paper is to examine the effect of decentralisation on the local service delivery through devolving financial resources, administrative functions and instituting electoral accountability. Using empirical data collected by a series of fieldworks in selected 6 urban and rural woredas from the regions of Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples, and Benishangul-Gumuz. The paper examines the following questions: to what extent decentralisation and local institutional arrangements have improved provision of local services in general and water and health care in particular? The paper also examines other related issues such as the extent to which local governments have adequate autonomy and capacity to address problems relating to the provision of water and health care services. Corollary to this, the paper examines how multiple and at times competing jurisdictions affect provision services.The paper also examines the impact of decentralisation on service delivery by looking at its fiscal, administrative and political aspects. Also, the focus on two policy domains, water and health care services will make it possible to analyze the governance institutions in action, and sort through what makes a difference for the distribution as well as the overall provision of public goods in the local governments.