Opinion: A Decade of Federalism and Local Governance

A decade into federalism's implementation, local governments have made notable progress in service delivery. From birth and marriage registration to small infrastructure works, services once handled centrally are now delivered locally, easing citizens' access.

Yet challenges persist — inadequate resources, a shortage of technical personnel, and weak public participation in planning. Uneven distribution of capacity and resources among local governments has also led to disparities in service quality.

Going forward, investment is needed in capacity building for local governments, stronger intergovernmental coordination, and results-oriented monitoring systems. Only then can the benefits of federalism reach every citizen.