NIGERIA PUBLIC SERVICE PROBLEMS AND PROSPECT

Abstract

The Nigerian fourth republic poses the problem of adjustment for the higher cadre of the country’s civil service. Civil service under the prolonged military regime had for the best part, combined political and bureaucratic roles. The return to democratic administration in 1999 implied the shedding of the role of policy articulation. The presidential democracy also imposes additional context for political restructuring by the civil service. This paper examines some hindrances to achieving effective and efficient civil service in Nigeria despite the successes recorded over the period. It is however the position of this study that there is a need for fundamental overhaul of civil service system in Nigeria in order to meet the developmental needs and the challenges of the modern world

Table of content

Chapter one

1.1 General introduction

1.2 Statement of problem

1.3 Objective

1.4 Research question

1.5 Research hypothesis

1.6 Significant of the study

1.7 Scope and limitation for the study

1.8 Organization of the work.

Chapter two

2.1 Conceptual Literature

2.2 Empirical literature

2.3 Theoretical literature

Chapter three

3.1   Method of data collection

3.2   Population /Area of the study

3.3   Sample size

3.4   Data analysis

3.5   Technique of data analysis.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The Public service is a service where federal, state or local government has an interest or where its presence is felt. It is a very wide organ, encompassing the civil service, the school system, the judicially, the local government system, the security agents, government companies and public service is of great importance to any given state. The purpose of the state is to maximize the potentials of its citizens by providing basic rights, liberty, security and welfare. And government exist to enable the state realize the above objective. For such to be done, the government needs efficient and well-informed public service. The bulk of decision and actions undertaken by government are influenced and implemented by the public service. The public service provides the modern government the requisite structure and procedure necessary for efficient administration and good governance. Public service will ever remain relevant in the scheme of politics of politics and administration in Nigeria not only because it is well scheme of polities and administration in Nigeria not only because it is well positioned to do so but more importantly because of its long history, experience and specialization. However, the Nigerian public service is said to be suffering from a seemingly endemic illness. Prior to the military intervention in political in 1966, there existed the spirit of comradeship, neutrality, high efficiency and so on. The enthusiasm and dynamism, which followed the organization of the Nigeria civil service, which hitherto remained one central public service, provided strong and healthy governments. Thus, the emergence of the military in polities made Nigeria political climate to become unfortunate. This greatly affected the public service. Besides, it made the public service to have a conquered history for it was moving in tandem with the style of government. There exist other problems such as corruption, poor communication system. And gradually, high productivity and efficiency fade away as a consequence. The researcher ascertained that the foretasted problems affected the Nigerian television authority channel 6 Aba (NTA) negatively, and recommended that public service will only realize its objectives if the diseases are cured. The Nigerian Television Authority channel 6 Aba date back to July 1964 when the then eastern Nigeria broadcasting service, which had two television, station at Enugu and Aba. Then Aba station was a booster. The Aba station was totally destroyed after the civil war and was refurbished with a 10kw Thompson CSF transmitter. The east central broadcasting service Tv (ECRSTV) channel 6 Aba was its name then. It re-command transmission in September 1974 still, as a booster to the one in Enugu. It offered effective service to viewer in the current Imo and Abia states. South East states (now Cross Rivers state), Rivers state, parts of Bendel state and some parts of Equatorial Guinea and the Cameroun’s. The Imo broadcasting service inherited the Television station in Aba. With the creation of Imo state in 1976, the Nigeria Television, channel 6 Aba became fully independence for the first time. Later, in 1976, the station was taken over by the Nigerian Television Authority but formally came into existence with the promulgation of decree No 24 of 1977 and channed to color transmission in the same year with the aid of a Thompson CSF 003 var specifically bought for that purpose.

The civil service plays a vital role in formulation, implementation, evaluation and review of government policies and programmes. Whether the chief executive of a government is an Emperor, King, President, Prime Minister, Duke, Governor or Mayor, that government cannot function without some form of civil service. A competent and motivated civil service is a prerequisite for maintenance of good governance, production and distribution of public goods and services, fiscal management and sustainability, efficient and effective performance of any government. It is incontestable fact that the concern for effective and efficient resources management in the public sector is universal and historical. This is more emphatic particularly in a developing economy like Nigeria where there are acute scarcity of human and natural resources and the ever increasing demands for public expenditure. In this context of public administration, the civil service is the administrative arm of government, an agent, an organ and machinery of government in the governance and developmental processes of any country in the world. Hence, the effectiveness of a government is to a large extent determined by the efficiency and competence of its civil service. The Nigerian civil service is a product of colonialism, established as an instrument for expediently implementing the administrative structure and activities of the British Colonialist from the late 19th century (Adamolekun, 1993). With the emergence of the modern state, the civil service in developing countries evolved not only to formulate policies but also to effectively implement them. In other words, the civil service is often associated with the effective and efficient management of development policies and programmes. In this connection, it is seen as the main, but not the only instrument by which development activities in developing countries are implemented (Esman, 1988). The role of the civil service as an instrument in a polity’s socio-economic and political development is incontestable. In some parts of the world, however, the civil service is a branch of government which is usually grouped with the executive, and without which government cannot function. Civil service is usually understood as a subset of the wider public service. This subset consists of government ministries, departments and agencies, including people who advise on, develop and implement government policies and programmes, and those who manage day to day activities. All over the world, the civil service seems unable to cope with the prevailing ideological, political and economic changes as well as the management innovations. In other parts of the world, especially in Africa, weakness of the civil service is considered as one of the fundamental causes of socio-political upheavals and economic crises (Beetseh, 2014). Cognisant to this fact, over the last decade, many countries are introducing primary changes in the structure and operation of their civil service systems. Nigeria, as part of her general political and economic restructuring programmes, is undertaking comprehensive measures to restructure her civil service. In Nigeria, the civil service which constitute the hub through which the government implement its policies and programmes is bedeviled with ethical and accountability problems which has over the years constituted a significant drag on the overall growth and development of the Nigerian state (Beetseh, 2014). Conventionally, political leaders usually determine the policies in any nation. Such leaders outline the political economic and social directions for the country. It is important for these policies to be properly articulated and implemented for meaningful results. The civil service is the main instrument through which government implements and administers public policies and programmes. This function usually derives from the constitution and the laws of the land (Olagboye, 2005). However, the way and manner civil service in a particular state is managed determines its performance. Thus, civil service has prominent roles to play in service delivery. The development achieved in many countries of the world can be attributed to the ability of their civil service to effectively translate the policies of their political leaders into concrete service.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Constant change of the structure of the public service due to political instability, this makes the service to be inefficient. Autocratic nature of decision-making process as in the case of military regime Mediocre are recruited in service, there is executive of poor quality job. Existence of inefficiency and low productivity, Erosion of public confidence in the service, Delay in the execution of government policies and programmes preference of money to acquiring skill.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To explain the importance of public service in the         state
2. To ascertain the problems impeding the efficiency        and effectiveness of the Nigeria public service
3. To examines the impact of the problem on the     capacity of the public service to facilitate the       running of government in Nigeria.
4. To acquire more knowledge on how to utilize       government resources for high productivity and efficiency.
5. To point out and realize the various techniques that      tend to encourage active participation of the      people in initiating, planning, executing and as well   use their own initiative to get things done properly       in the service.
6. To make recommendation by reveal what is expected   of the public service in a given state.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

To bring to focus the thrust of the study, there is need to ask some crucial questions.

1. Does public service contributes to the smooth running   of government
2. Does public service enhance development in the state?
3. What are the obstacles encounter by the public    service in the course of discharging its duties.
4. Can government succeed without the public service?

1.5 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

It is argued that the study would contribute to our knowledge the importance of the public service and the problems empedy the efficiency of the public service. It will also be of great importance to the political leaders, policy makers and all others who are involved in the public service. The organization understudy (NTA ABA) will benefit because with the result of the study, it will be armed with the way of doing things so as to attain the best result. NTA Aba must improve and design strategies on how to influence and motivate employees.

 1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the Nigerian public service, problems and prospect. But in the cause of the study, there were some factors which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Public service

Public service is a service which is provided by government to people living within its jurisdiction, either directly or by financing provision of services.

Civil service

The civil service is independent of government and composed mainly of career bureaucrats hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership.

Political instability

Political instability can be defined in at least three ways. A first approach is to define it as the propensity for regime or government change.

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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