Abstract:

The significance of accountability in specific areas of public sector management in numerous public organizations around the world has been shown by academic works. It is referred to as an important tool for assisting organizations in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery and public sector management. The amount of literature on the subject of public policy outcomes is, however, very limited. Consequently, using the case study of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), this paper investigated the relationship between public accountability and policy outcomes in oil-producing communities. An interview and a pre-structured questionnaire were used in the research survey. Additionally, a stratified sampling method was used to select the 359 respondents from the Oil Producing Community Area of Delta State, which made up 89.97% of the 399 participants in the sample. Thomas Jones's Stewardship Theory serves as the study's theoretical analysis. Data were gathered and analysed using frequency, percentage, and the Pearson correlation coefficient in order to test the hypothesis. The study's findings indicate that accountability significantly affects the results of public policy. A positive 35.5% increase in policy outcomes as a result of accountability considerations served to support this. It was determined that accountability significantly predicts or explains the results of policy. According to the study, accountability can make sure that public organisations meet their performance goals by acting as a check and balance during the implementation of public policies.