Ha Giang works to improve PAPI ranking, build a service-oriented administration

BHG - Ha Giang Province’s Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) for 2024 fell sharply in both score and ranking, serving as a warning bell forcing the province to take decisive action to rebuild its governance strength from the ground up.

Citizens receiving prompt, convenient service at the Provincial Public Administration Service Centre.

According to the UNDP report, Ha Giang scored only 43.7 points, down by 0.5 points and dropped 19 places compared to 2023 to position 30 out of 63 provinces and cities.

Although the province still ranks relatively well within the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region, these results reveal many internal issues that need addressing.

Out of PAPI’s eight dimensions, only two showed improvements: e-governance and environmental governance, with environmental governance achieving the highest score nationwide.

However, the remaining six dimensions all declined, particularly in fields related to public service delivery, control of corruption, public administrative procedures, transparency and accountability.

Some sub-dimensions such as infrastructure and public healthcare also decreased significantly, directly affecting public satisfaction levels.

The main causes identified include limited effectiveness in legal policy communications, weak administrative culture at the grassroots level, and poor quality of interaction with citizens.

In particular, bribery when accessing public services still exists, reducing public trust and negatively affecting anti-corruption efforts. Infrastructure, human resources, and public service quality still face many shortcomings, especially in education and local healthcare.

In response to this situation, the province has issued a plan to improve its PAPI ranking for 2025, emphasising the enhancement of public service quality and using citizen satisfaction as the measure of government credibility.

PAPI implementation results have also been incorporated into criteria for evaluating staff performance, rewards and recognition. With the determined involvement of the entire political system, the province aims to raise its PAPI score, striving to join the leading group nationwide and regionally, moving towards a transparent, efficient administration that serves the people.

THU PHUONG