Abstract Book of the 12th International Conference on New Findings in Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2025
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Succession Management and Service Delivery in Public Sector a Focus on Edo South Senatorial District
Dr. Howardson Odion
ABSTRACT:
The issue of Succession management and service delivery in the Nigeria local government Administration is considered by researchers and practitioners as a yard stick for determining success and continuity in service delivery to the people. This matter has not been given adequate attention in recent times by extant studies. Succession management in public organizations, is desired to reposition the public sector for effective and efficient service delivery and good governance. Succession management practices create avenues for needs, talents, which include activities designed to attract, extend and keep the best pool of politicians in the interest of the public sector for effective service delivery. Local government in Nigeria rarely undertake succession management for myriad of political reasons, that, elected or appointed officials and their leadership may have tenure limitations and therefore, shy away from taking on additional responsibilities and assumed that succession issues are beyond their scope of work. The inability of the local government to have well-articulated succession management system has resulted in disruptions and leadership transition crisis. Inadequate planning and management of employee of local government for succession, results to most employee of local government who take up certain positions and responsibilities performing poorly in coming out with ideas that could pave ways for service delivery to the people of the area. Succession management remains unexplored in public establishment. This research work sought to bring to light the need for local government to pay attention to the succession management so as to enhance continuity in service delivery. Its specific objectives were to determine the influence of top political leaders support, identification and preparation of potential successor, challenges and strategies for succession management on politicians in relation to service delivery. The study employed field survey type of research. It is a combination of qualitative and quantitative design covering time periods of 2016- 2020. The total population was 616 political leaders from seven local government areas in Edo South Senatorial District, while 243 formed the sample size. It employed both primary and secondary sources. The instruments used were questionnaire administration and personal interview. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, principal component factor and least square regression method. Having analyzed and tested various hypotheses, the study revealed that top political leaders support for succession management has significant positive relationship with service delivery in local government area.
It also found that political leader’s identification and preparation for succession management have no significant influence, but has positive relationship with service delivery in local government areas. The study therefore concluded and recommended that government should encourage succession management in order to enhance service delivery to the people in local government area of Edo state and Nigeria in general
Keywords: succession management service delivery