The Role of Politics in Governance and Service Delivery: Focus on Water Provision in Akure, Nigeria

This study examines the role of politics in governance and service delivery (with a particular interest in water provision) in Akure, Nigeria. To achieve the above, the following objectives were made: examine the part of politics in water delivery in Akure by evaluating the roles of past and present administrations (1999-2017) in water delivery, identify various factors inhibiting and enhancing water delivery in the area. To fully capture these objectives, four residential neighborhoods (Ijapo Housing Estate, Shagari Village, Oke-Ogba and Alaba-Layout Apatapiti) were purposively selected for questionnaires administration. The numbers of residential buildings in the four selected locations were determined to represent the research population. In all, there are two thousand eight hundred and eight one (2881) residential buildings in the neighborhoods. Using systematic sampling method of selecting one head of household at every 10th building intervals across the locations, two hundred and eighty-eight (288) copies of questionnaire were administered, collated and analyzed. Also, the General Manager of Ondo State Water Corporation saddled with the responsibility of providing water to the teeming inhabitants of Akure was investigated. Data obtained from both sources were collated and analyzed and presented using the descriptive statistical method. The results revealed the policies, programmes, pitfalls, and achievements of successive governments of Ondo State in Water provision from 1999-2017. Based on these findings, practicable and insightful recommendations were made.