Monitoring and Evaluation: A Practical Approach to Public Service Delivery

Abstract

This paper monitoring and evaluation: a practical approach to public service delivery investigates the role of monitoring and evaluation in public service delivery. The primary responsibility of the government is to do for the people that which the people cannot do for themselves. It therefore, behoves on the public sector to provide the catalyst for affordable and quality services to the citizens. It was observed that basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, education, power, health, water supply, peace and security are lacking or short in supply in Nigeria. The non availability or inadequate provision of these basic needs of life is attributed to poor service delivery. The high level of poor service delivery in Nigeria is as a result of weak or lack of monitoring and evaluation system. The paper therefore argued that monitoring and evaluation are sine qua non for public service delivery.  As a matter of fact every government project or programme should be adequately monitored and evaluated to track the development of the project in line with the stated goal or objective. In essence, monitoring and evaluation strengthens the management of government activities, supports accountability relationships within civil society and service delivery.

Key words: Accountability; Evaluation; Monitoring; Public service and Service delivery