Integrated Financial Management Systems and Service Delivery in Dokolo District Local Government, Uganda

This study concentrated on assessing the relationship between Integrated Financial Management Systems and service delivery in Dokolo district local government. This was assessed through breaking down IFMS in terms of accounting and reporting, budgeting and purchasing and cash management verse the service delivery in the district. The researcher considered a quantitative paradigm, with a co-relational, cross-section, survey design. The target population of the study was 160 people from where a sample 113 respondents was sampled based Morgan and Krejcie tables (1970) using Simple random and purposive sampling technique to collect primary data using a research questionnaire. Results revealed a strong positive relationship between IFMS budgeting systems and service delivery as this was evidenced by a correlation coefficient(r) of 0.805 that was statistically significant since the p value (0.000) < 0.01 and that the coefficient of determination (Adjusted R2) value 0.849; implied that 84.9% of the variation in service delivery can be explained by the IFMS systems in terms of purchasing and cash management systems, accounting systems and budgeting systems in place in the district holding other factors constant. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommends that the management of the banking industry and the ministry of Finance should promote efficient and clear budgeting by incorporating it with the IFMS. The management of the district should ensure that there is strict compliance with internal laws and regulations guiding usability of IFMS in Dokolo District Local Government. The users of the IFMS should be trained and given frequent trainings to help them understand the system well. And that the district management team should involve all the stakeholders in the development of cash management framework that is used in the planning, implementation, auditing, supervision, monitoring and maintenance of the IFMS to streamline all roles and responsibilities of all the users of the system so that no cash is mismanaged.