Assessment of Effectiveness of use of ICT Components for Services Delivery in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria

One of the challenges facing public services in Nigeria is lack of effective and efficient service delivery. In Nigerian local governments, service delivery affects all citizens who demand quality services. Thus, the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) creates opportunities for its use to promote effective service delivery in the Nigerian local government system. This study assessed ICT as a tool for effective service delivery in the Nigerian local government with a particular focus on Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. To achieve the purpose of the study, a total of 450 questionnaires were randomly administered to the staff of Etsako West Local Government whose population is 650. Only 420 questionnaires were returned. After data mining of the questionnaires for inconsistency, omission and incomplete filling, a sample size of 228 was taken for the research study. The chi-square was used to test the significant association between ICT penetration in Etsako West Local Government in Edo State of Nigeria on the one hand, and the relationship between the use of ICT components by staff of the local government in the performance of their duties and service delivery on the other. The test of the hypotheses showed that there is no significant association between ICT and service delivery in the administration of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The study revealed low level of ICT usage in the studied local government and recommended among others, the need for government to create opportunity for staff of the local government to own computers and be ICT literate for efficient service delivery.