Residents of Anambra State may soon have greater influence over how government institutions deliver services, as experts have unveiled a citizen-centred monitoring system designed to improve transparency, accountability and the quality of public service delivery.
The initiative, known as the State Service Delivery Transparency Initiative (SSDTI), was unveiled during a capacity-building programme for members of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Committee organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme.
Unlike previous anti-corruption efforts that largely focused on compliance with regulations, the new framework will assess whether government institutions are meeting the needs and expectations of citizens.
The Anambra State RoLAC Coordinator, Dr. Josephine Onah, said the initiative is aimed at ensuring that citizens experience the tangible impact of government reforms through improved service delivery.
She explained that the SSDTI introduces service delivery standards for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), backed by multiple layers of oversight to promote transparency, accountability and efficiency.
According to her, monitoring teams will assess the quality of services provided, identify gaps and recommend improvements, rather than focusing solely on compliance with anti-corruption policies.
Onah disclosed that the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) and Okpuno Primary Health Centre have been selected as pilot institutions, where service charters, signages and Service Delivery Transparency Units are already being established ahead of the programme’s expansion to other health facilities across the state.
The Lead Consultant to RoLAC, Prof. Ada Chidi Igbokwe, said the success of the initiative would depend on evaluating the actual experiences of citizens, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare.
She warned that poor service delivery could have irreversible consequences and announced that “mystery shoppers” would be deployed to independently assess service standards in public institutions without prior notice.
“The goal is to see the reality of what citizens experience every day, not what institutions present when they know they are being monitored,” she said.
Another consultant, Prof. Onyiukwu Onyiukwu, said continuous data collection, performance tracking and citizen feedback would be essential to sustaining improvements, stressing that service standards must be backed by regular evaluation.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Lead at IIDEA, Dr. John Odey, also urged committee members to adopt monitoring tools capable of measuring outcomes, identifying service delivery gaps early and generating evidence for informed decision-making.
Members of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee pledged to support the implementation of the State Service Delivery Transparency Initiative, expressing their commitment to promoting greater accountability and improving public service delivery across Anambra State.
