Batho Pele principles sought to enhance public sector service delivery with ethical behaviour. In this scenario, this study presented and discussed the findings of a case study research that was conducted in Rivers State public sector based on the eight principles of Batho Pele namely consultation, setting service standards, increasing access, ensuring courtesy, providing information, openness and transparency, redress and value for money. The study was predominantly qualitative in nature and a purposive sample size of 500 Rivers State indigenes was drawn. The study employed simple percentage and a bar chart to ease the analysis and discussion. The finding revealed that the Rivers State public sector lacked properly functioning service delivery system because of the inability of the public institutions to deliver quality public services based on the needs of the citizens. It was asserted in the study that apart from the principles of ensuring courtesy and providing information, all the response rates regarding the other principles were less than 50%. The common factors that impeded the effective implementation of Batho Pele principles in the State public sector as identified in the study included corruption, nepotism, incompetence, lack of transparency, weak institutional framework and strong political components. Based on the study's findings, it was recommended that Rivers State public institutions should adopt a consumer based approach regarding quality service delivery. It was also recommended that the legal and institutional framework of the public sector should be reinforced to curb subornment and nepotism, the political elements embedded in public service delivery should be de-emphasized, and transparency and accountability encouraged.
Batho Pele principles, good governance, participation, public sector, quality service delivery, reforms, Rivers State
