Urgently Review and Address the Surplus and Shortage of Officials in the Two-Tier Local Government System

The implementation of the two-tier local government model helps streamline the administrative apparatus, enhance the effectiveness of state management, minimize administrative intermediaries, and strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority to the grassroots level to better serve citizens and businesses, save budget resources, and create momentum for socio-economic development. This is a breakthrough reform that opens up new development space and promotes digital transformation.

The two-tier local government model is being implemented with high expectations for reform and improved administrative efficiency. However, the management of human resources—an essential factor in this process—still faces numerous challenges.

The transition to the two-tier local government model has recorded many positive results, particularly in staffing and organizational restructuring. According to the latest reports, administrative agencies at all levels have been fundamentally consolidated, ensuring adequate staffing and clearly defining functions, tasks, and authority. The implementation of regimes and policies has initially been synchronized, providing an important legal and practical foundation for operating the new model.

In particular, the administrative apparatus has been significantly streamlined by reducing the number of specialized agencies and intermediary units. This has not only helped save budgetary resources but also shortened processing times. Accountability of leaders has been strengthened through regular inspection and supervision mechanisms from the central to local levels.

At the same time, administrative procedure reform and digital transformation have made considerable progress. Many localities have applied modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in management and administration, which has enhanced transparency and timeliness in handling administrative dossiers, thereby strengthening public trust.

Speaking at the Government’s online conference with localities in September 2025, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra stated that after three months of implementing the two-tier local government model, the Politburo and the Government recognized many initial positive and significant improvements in various areas. Alongside these achievements, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra also candidly pointed out several limitations and shortcomings in the implementation of the new model.

Regarding the team of commune-level officials and civil servants, many still fail to meet new requirements. The issue of staffing imbalance—both surplus and shortage—persists, especially in specialized fields such as information technology, finance, land management, education, and healthcare. Recruitment of specialized personnel remains difficult due to limited candidate pools and contractual constraints.

The Minister emphasized: “According to our data, each commune currently has an average of about 41 officials and civil servants. I believe this number is not insufficient. Only around 5% of commune-level civil servants have not yet met the professional requirements for their assigned positions, which is not a large figure. However, what truly matters here is the competence, responsibility, initiative, and adaptability of these officials to the operation of the two-tier local government system.”

In addition, the administrative procedure systems in many localities still face technical problems, leading to frequent disruptions in processing dossiers. The interconnection between national and local databases remains inconsistent, particularly in key areas such as land, civil status, and social insurance, creating difficulties for citizens and businesses.

Decentralization and delegation of authority have also encountered obstacles, as certain legal documents and administrative procedures have not been updated in time. Many localities remain hesitant and lack initiative in implementation, particularly in areas such as land management, finance, and foreign affairs at the commune level, due to insufficient guidance. Information technology infrastructure in many regions remains inconsistent, with significant “bottlenecks,” especially in densely populated areas.

To address these challenges, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra proposed that by October 15, ministries and sectors must urgently review and complete institutional frameworks, amend and supplement specialized legal documents, particularly in finance, land, science and technology, justice, construction, agriculture, and environmental management.

One of the most urgent solutions is to strengthen human resources at the commune level, especially in specialized fields. The Minister emphasized: “Several localities such as Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Ha Noi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City have effectively deployed provincial-level officials and civil servants to support commune-level operations, helping to resolve difficulties and enhance governance efficiency at the grassroots level. This is a major task that requires strong attention and focus to meet the demands of this model.”

The Minister of Home Affairs also stressed the need to invest in upgrading physical infrastructure and information technology systems, as well as organizing training programs for officials, civil servants, and public employees to ensure seamless connectivity, effective administration, and the provision of online public services.

The Minister also requested localities to promptly establish public non-business units to provide essential public services at the commune level while strengthening sectors facing difficulties—such as grassroots agricultural extension activities—in line with the directives of the Politburo and the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister has also instructed localities to continue reviewing and assessing the actual situation of officials and civil servants, especially at the commune level, to address the problems of surplus, shortage, or unqualified personnel. The assessment results must be reported to the Politburo and the Government before October 15, 2025, through the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs.