After one year of operating under Vietnam's two-tier local government model, local administrations have reported smoother operations but continue to face staffing and infrastructure challenges.
After one year of operating under the new governance model, administrative systems across many localities in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands are largely functioning smoothly. However, shortages of specialized personnel and limitations in technology infrastructure continue to place significant pressure on commune-level administrations, leaving some struggling to adapt to newly assigned responsibilities.
Residents complete administrative procedures at Hoa Khanh Ward in Da Nang. Photo: Ha Nam
At a conference reviewing the first year of the two-tier local government model held last week, leaders from several provinces and cities in the region presented notable assessments. Most localities agreed that the system had passed its first major test, with administrative operations maintained and public services continuing to function in a generally stable manner.
In Hue, each commune and ward has been organized with three specialized departments and one Public Administrative Service Center. The application of digital technologies has reduced processing times for many procedures by 30-50%, while citizen satisfaction rates have reached between 90% and 100%.
Da Nang highlighted new governance demands following administrative consolidation, with its development space now stretching from coastal urban areas to mountainous regions, border communities and island districts. The city's administrative structure has been streamlined, reducing intermediary layers and increasing local autonomy. Authorities have conducted more than 120 inspections, received over 680 recommendations and largely addressed issues in a timely manner.
In Quang Ngai, progress over the past year has not been limited to organizational restructuring but has also extended to operational methods. Functions and responsibilities have been reviewed according to principles of clear accountability, defined authority and transparent assignment of tasks. Numerous decentralization measures have also been introduced.
Gia Lai has decentralized 56 administrative procedures, delegated authority for 317 procedures and shortened processing times for 1,713 procedures. The province recorded a fully online processing rate of 96%, while its citizen and business service index reached 95.83 points, earning an excellent rating.
In Dak Lak, Public Administrative Service Centers at all levels have operated steadily, with 97% of administrative dossiers processed on time. More than 15,000 grassroots officials have received professional training and skills updates, contributing to gradual improvements in services provided to residents and businesses.
Shortage of specialized personnel remains a challenge
Commune-level officials are handling a wider range of responsibilities following the implementation of the two-tier government model. Photo: Ha Nam
Alongside the initial achievements, staffing and resource constraints at the grassroots level remain major concerns. As responsibilities continue shifting toward commune-level administrations, local officials must possess the capacity to handle increasingly specialized tasks that directly affect citizens and frequently generate complex issues.
In Hue, the post-restructuring administrative landscape includes central urban areas, mountainous districts, border regions, coastal communities and lagoon zones. While many communes and wards now oversee larger jurisdictions, infrastructure, facilities and human resources remain uneven across some areas.
In Da Nang, 98% of commune-level officials and civil servants hold university degrees, while 87% possess intermediate-level or higher political theory qualifications.
Despite these figures, the city continues to experience localized imbalances in staffing, with both surpluses and shortages occurring simultaneously. Some localities remain short of highly specialized personnel, while a portion of officials are still adapting to new management methods.
In Quang Ngai, commune-level administrations continue to lack specialists in finance, land management, cadastral administration, planning and construction. As a result, some localities have experienced overload and uncertainty following decentralization efforts. Difficulties also remain in handling surplus public assets, digitizing and archiving documents, and improving information technology and telecommunications infrastructure.
Dak Lak faces similar shortages, particularly in finance, land administration and information technology. Administrative facilities and infrastructure in certain areas have yet to meet operational requirements.
In Gia Lai, the province's large geographical area, uneven population distribution and numerous remote communes have significantly increased workloads at the grassroots level. The transfer of records, data, assets and responsibilities following restructuring continues to present challenges. Localized staffing imbalances are also evident, with some areas having two or three officials assigned to accounting or land administration positions while others lack personnel altogether.
Addressing urgent bottlenecks
Da Nang Party Secretary Le Ngoc Quang said authorities would address cases in which officials attempt to avoid or resist transfers and reassignment. Photo: Ha Nam
After one year of implementation, local leaders broadly agree that the two-tier government model has only completed its initial phase and still requires substantial refinement.
In Hue, Party Secretary Nguyen Dinh Trung called for improvements in the quality of officials and civil servants, completion of job-position frameworks, stronger decentralization accompanied by effective oversight, accelerated digital transformation and better public services. He emphasized that grassroots administrations must be capable of resolving emerging issues directly at the local level.
Da Nang Party Secretary Le Ngoc Quang urged authorities to address shortages of specialized personnel, shortcomings in information technology infrastructure and increasing workloads at the commune level.
He also highlighted a tendency among some officials to avoid transfers and rotations, noting that the city would strengthen the deployment of young, capable and highly specialized personnel to grassroots positions.
Gia Lai Party Secretary Thai Dai Ngoc called for improving the quality of grassroots officials and civil servants. Photo: Ho Giap
For Quang Ngai, Provincial Party Secretary Ho Van Nien acknowledged that while the organizational structure has become generally stable, it is not yet fully complete. The division of functions, responsibilities and authority between agencies and administrative levels occasionally overlaps or leaves gaps.
The province has prioritized strengthening digital skills training, attracting high-quality talent, digitizing records, integrating data systems and eliminating telecommunications coverage gaps in remote areas.
Gia Lai Party Secretary Thai Dai Ngoc called for a realistic assessment of the situation, noting that although the new model operates more smoothly than before, performance remains uneven. Decentralization has expanded but some localities still face difficulties adapting, while resources, personnel and technical infrastructure have not fully kept pace. Data connectivity between systems also remains limited.
According to Ngoc, greater decentralization must be accompanied by clearer accountability, while expanded authority requires stronger supervision and oversight. Gia Lai's priorities include refining decentralization mechanisms, improving the quality of officials - particularly at the grassroots level - advancing meaningful digital transformation, strengthening administrative discipline and maintaining close engagement with local communities to address emerging issues promptly.
In Dak Lak, Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet called for continued efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus while improving efficiency and effectiveness. He also urged stronger decentralization linked to resource allocation, appropriate placement of grassroots personnel and the use of citizen satisfaction as a key benchmark for evaluating public officials.
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