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AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The civil service has always been the tool available to Nigerian government for the implementation of developmental goals and objectives. It is seen as a pivot for growth of Nigerian economy. It is responsible for the creation of an appropriate and conducive environment in which the economy can perform optimally and it is this catalytic role of the public service that propelled government all over the world to search continuously for better ways to deliver their services (Amoako, 2003). 

Civil Service is the instrument which government uses to regulate and manage all aspects of the society. Thus, the condition of a society is largely determined by the public service. Besides, it is from this government bureaucracy that all the other institutions obtain various types of approval, license and permits which are critical to their existence and operation. Also, government allocations of resources pass through the bureaucracy to all other areas of the society directly and indirectly. Therefore, all other institutions perforce have to deal with the civil service at one point or the other in their existence and operations (Philips, 1990).

In many developing countries like Nigeria, the civil service is frequently too expensive and insufficiently productive; and civil servants, especially those in management positions get few incentives and poorly motivated (Nunberg., 1994). Many low income countries have taken important steps in first generation reforms-that is, based on restructuring and downsizing civil service. Yet, beyond a certain point, cutting cost by squeezing real wages becomes counterproductive as skilled staff members leave the civil service; those who remain becomes demoralized and absenteeism, moonlighting and corruption increase (Lienert, 1998). Overemphasis on cost-containment as an end in itself has by the way given civil service a bad name, maximizing resistant to reforms and ultimately nullifying the very savings from costcontainment itself (Schiavo-campo, 1998). To address these problems, countries have been attempting to lead second generation reforms aimed at revamping pay and promotion policies.  Yet, the multiple objectives of first generation reforms can give rise to conflicts, and little progress has been reached in second generation reforms (Lienert, 1998).

As a major instrument for implementing government policies, the civil service in Nigeria is expected to be professionally competent, loyal and efficient. Nonetheless, it is now denounced for being corrupt, poorly trained and poorly attuned to the needs of the poor. Ironically, the civil service is expected to play the key role in managing and implementing reform programs in the country. This has led to a number of complex agency problems yet to be resolved. However, it is broadly acknowledged and Nigerian experience attest to this, that when the incentive structure in the  civil service remain poor, its efficiency as well as ability to effect policy such as that directed towards reducing poverty will remain very low (Salisu, 2001).

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