PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND SERVICE DELIVERY

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

It has been argued that service delivery and policy making have radically been re-interpreted with the shift from “top-down” policy processes to negotiation, and effective delivery. Services should no longer rest solely with professional and managerial staff but rather the aim is to move towards co-production with users and communities (Bovaird, 2007). Outdated approach to service planning and delivery are being challenged and as such are being replaced with a new thinking on how to enhance the delivery of public service. Public-private Partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly being adopted as modes of public service delivery. PPP arrangement, it is argued, provides incentives to the private service provider to achieve improved levels of efficiency and effectiveness since gains in efficiency translate into increased profits and returns and enhanced service delivery to the government (Li, 2003; Heather & Booth, 2007).

The public sector is entrusted with the delivery of public goods and services at all levels. In an increasingly turbulent environment, the public sector lately has been experiencing a bumpy journey as its tasks seem overwhelming and beyond human capacity to perform satisfactorily (Caiden, 2007; Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2000). The public sector monopolies are often associated with inefficiencies and inability to meet rapidly growing demands. As a result, the contribution of the traditional public sector is largely questioned, suggesting the need for a major overhaul. Public sector reform (PSR) in both developed and developing countries has now become a routine matter of public policy (Pal & Ireland, 2009) especially in public infrastructure development. Governments often have engaged in numerous reforms and initiatives designed to improve cost effectiveness and efficiency. This effort integrates concepts, tools and management techniques adopted from private sector management and calls for a new relationship between governments and citizens (OECD, 2005; Metcalfe, 1993; Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2000).

Public Private Partnerships have become widely adopted and popular in public sector management although with varying degrees of success amidst the challenges it brings. The 1990s saw the establishment of the PPP as the key tool of public policy across the world (Osborne, 2000) as an outcome of New Public Management (NPM). NPM has shifted the focus of management from public service to service delivery.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) is a sustained and long-term partnering relationship between the public and private sectors to provide services and goods. Through PPP, the public sector seeks to bring together the resources of the public sector and the technical expertise of the private sectors to provide services and goods to the public at the best value for money (Ministry of Finance, Singapore, 2009).

Traditionally, the public sector has tended to engage the private sector merely to construct facilities or supply equipment. The public agencies will then own and operate the facilities or equipment or engage separate maintenance and operations companies to operate the facilities and equipment to deliver the services to the public. PPP is born based on the fact that government provision of goods and services should not only lay emphasis on finance but on the quality of goods and services. “Managerially, modernization emphasizes a shift from a focus on inputs to a concern with outcomes − providing services is no longer a sufficient justification for state intervention, it must create added public value (Oyedele, 2012).

PPP is a contractual arrangement which is formed between public and private sector partners which involve the private sector in the development, financing, ownership, and or operation of a public facility or service. In such a partnership, public and private resources are pooled and responsibilities divided so that the partners’ efforts are complementary.

PPP relate to perceptions and practices affecting public private sector relationships in ensuring global health, development and well-being of the society, and the conceptual aspects of such relationships, including the role of the key players in collaborating to make these partnerships successful or otherwise (Aribigbola, 2008). Hence this research will investigate the Effects of Public Private Partnership and Service Delivery in Lagos State with a special reference to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Public service delivery is one of the bases of assessing the achievements of democratic leaders and it is the foundation of good democratic governance. Agitation for public service delivery is higher in developing countries compared to developed nations. This is because the resources for the provision of infrastructural amenities are always scarce and high.

The Infrastructural report of Nigeria just like any third world country is nothing to write home about. The housing situation is in a sorry state both quantitatively and qualitatively. Most infrastructures are now decayed and need repair, rehabilitation, refurbishment or replacement. Government is the system that plans, organizes, controls and supervises the people who are resident in an area in order for all to have conducive-environment for living and a sense of belonging. Governments is saddled with the mandate to put in place all measures that it deem fit will make an environment beneficial for living for everybody.

The idea behind public private partnership has be one of efficient service delivery to the people in a particular place which of course is needed to provide for the citizens and or for supplementary development which can be through the different modes of PPP but the reverse seem to be the case as the pressing environmental and public health issues in Nigeria rural areas today is the problem of solid waste generation and disposal (Ndekwu, 2006).

Infrastructure development in democratic governance is more challenging because of the accessibility of people to government and involves identifying the right project, carrying out feasibility and viability studies and embarking on physical development of the project. The challenges are numerous and include finance, technology for development, maintenance and design.

The numerous challenges have not been tackled as they should. Nigeria’s lack of basic infrastructure to facilitate sustainable development and trade − both regionally and globally − and to ensure competitiveness is already known by all. In particular, for the large number of local governments, especially the rural ones, the dwellers produce have no access to markets and are not stored, hampered by weak transport and energy infrastructure. It is against this backdrop that the research is inspired to assess the impact of Public Private Partnership and Service Delivery in Lagos State with reference to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The major objective of this study is to assess Public Private Partnership and Service Delivery in Lagos State. Other specific objectives of the study are:

1. To investigate if there is any significant relationship between Public Private Partnership andService Delivery in Lagos State.
2. To determine the effect of government partnership with the Private sector in roads construction in Lagos State.
3. To examine the impact of Public Private Partnership on the standard of living in Lagos State.
4. To articulate the ways to improve Service Delivery in Lagos State.

1.4 Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. Is there any significant relationship between public private partnership and service delivery in Lagos State?
2. Can government partnership with the Private sector has significant effect on infrastructural development in Lagos State?
3. Does Public Private Partnership enhance urban roads development in Lagos State?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The researcher intends to test the following hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance:

1. Ho: There is no significant relationship between Public Private Partnership and service delivery in Lagos State.
   HI:There is a significant relationship between Public Private Partnership and public service delivery in Lagos State.
2. Ho: Government partnership with the Private sector has no positive effect on infrastructural development in Lagos State.
   HI: Government partnership with the Private sector has an effect on infrastructural development in Lagos State.
3. Ho: Public Private Partnership does not enhance urban road development in Lagos.
   HI: Public Private Partnership enhances urban road development in Lagos.