Citizen Participation and Service Delivery at the Local Government Level: A Case of Ise/Orun Local Government in Ekiti State, Nigeria

The whole essence of citizens’ participation in the decision-making process is about the search for new and more direct ways of influencing governmental outcomes, particularly as it relates to service delivery. The existence of the local government is essentially predicated on the need to facilitate effective delivery of services to the people at the grassroots. Utilizing both primary and secondary data, the study examined the extent of citizen participation in the delivery of services in Ise/Orun Local Government Areas of Ekiti State, Nigeria. It was discovered that citizens’ involvement in the process of service delivery was minimal, particularly in the provision of portable water, rural roads and health services. The study further revealed that inadequate participation, the absence of transparency and accountability, as well as the prevalent and endemic nature of corruption contributed significantly to the sub-optimal performance of the local government in the area of service delivery. The study therefore suggested the need for effective participation, transparency and accountability in government business and the control of corruption as strategies for improving the quality of service delivery in Ise/Orun Local Government