RE: Reforming the Nigerian Public Service

Published in African Renaissance, London March-April 2005

 Discussant:  Emmanuel Onyebuchi Ezeani, PhD

Senior Lecturer and Former Head,

Department of Political Science,

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

The article by Yushau Shuaib is an interesting discussion of the on-going reforms of the Nigerian public Service, which are geared towards making it more efficient, productive and accountable in the conduct of government business. The on-going reforms are in the areas of appointment, deployment, discipline, performance management, motivation and voluntary exit incentives - among others.

While the article provides some insight into the on-going public service reforms in Nigeria, it is important to point out the confusion over the use of the words ‘civil service’ and ‘public service’. The author appears to use the two words interchangeably. Yet, they do not mean the same thing. For example, the assertion that  “public service is driven by  public officers who are either elected or appointed and is managed by civil servants who are employed through a rigorous recruitment exercise”, is confusing. How can the public service be managed by civil servants only? It is important to note that the term ‘civil service’ in the Nigerian context refers to the service within government ministries and departments charged with the responsibility of implementing public policies. On the other hand, ‘public service’ refers not only to service within government departments and ministries but also, in parastatals, police force and armed forces. Therefore, while all civil servants are public servants, not all public servants are civil servants. The focus of the entire article is on the civil service. The correct title of the article in my opinion should be : ‘Reforming   the Nigerian civil service’.

Shuaib is of the opinion that “with the reform geared towards creativity and efficiency, recruitment and promotion exercises should not be seen from parochial considerations but purely on performance and merit”. He ignores however the fact that the practice of the principle of the federal character and quota system in Nigeria contradicts the main objective of the reform which is to reposition the public service for greater efficiency and effectiveness. The attempt to ensure that every segment of the Nigerian society is represented in the public service leads to the lowering of standards, and the result is that merit is sacrificed in favour   of mediocrity.

Furthermore, Shuaib’s view that civil servants should be allowed to engage or undertake private practice - like medical doctors and academics as a way of curbing corruption - is faulty. He appears to be ignorant of the havoc private practice by medical doctors has caused the medical profession in Nigeria. Doctor devote more time to their private clinics and less to their primary occupation. Also, there is no guarantee that corruption will be eliminated or at least be ameliorated if civil servants are allowed to undertake private practice.

In conclusion, while I join Shuaib in welcoming the on-going public service reforms in Nigeria, I am not oblivious of the fact that successive governments in Nigeria have introduced reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. Yet, the service   remains ineffective and inefficient.

One of the reasons for the failure of past reforms is the lack of political will to fully implement the reforms, which led to a selective implementation of the reform package. Another reason is policy discontinuity due to frequent regime change in Nigeria. Each succeeding regime in a bid to gain legitimacy and acceptance condemns and abandons all the policies of its predecessor. Scholars of Marxist persuasion have also attributed the failure of previous reforms, particularly in the area of corruption, to the peculiar character or nature of the post-colonial State. They argue that the Nigerian state and its administrative apparatus serve as the main instrument of private accumulation of wealth rather than being a tool for socio-economic transformation and advancement of the society. According to them, no amount of reforms will succeed in Nigeria if there is no change in the character or nature of the Nigerian state. We hope that the present civilian Government headed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be able to surmount these problems.

RE: REFORMING THE PUBLIC SERVICE

  email Reactions to the author as published below Are IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS.

Mr Shuaib,

Your master piece on public service reform can be given a distinction by the way you articulate the facts but what should come to mind  is how sincere are the reformist, what machineries are being put in place to credibly and effectively transform public service from the dungeon of corruption and state of decay and near collapse.

Beyond rhetoric, the long misrule of the military and their intellectually backward civilian sycophants who placed primitive accumulation of wealth as foremost policy laid the foundation of disoriented counter productive public service system we have now, where professionalism has no place but sycophancy, godfatherism, gangsterism have erased basic rules that promote productivity in service.

But how much of reform can be delivered by the same people who laid the foundation of the demise of public service by the way they have impoverished the nation, how much of moral value and political sincerity do they have to carry out reform. Any reform that will involve the present crop of politicians is a waste of time and effort. There can never be any meaningful reform when more and more people are getting poorer, not having any hope of meeting basic needs of life, fear of insecurity of life, property and future existence. Lack of infrastructure, no access to portable water, health in decay with no hopeful policy that will liberate the masses.

The basic reform that will translate to all sectors is genuine political reform that will overhaul this crop of parochial leadership that will create an environment of political national rebirth, where desperate quest for power, materialistic appropriation of public wealth will give way for selfless service to our nation and humanity.

-Dr I.O Akerele

banbol816@yahoo.com

I have read your article on above subject matter. In fact I quite agree with your view, but I feel that such reform should not be at the detriment of the civil servant. It should have a human face thus; it will not be a curse but, rather a blessing.

-Hassan  Nuhu Sambo

hnsambo@yahoo.com

Thank you for being thoughtful. How I wish the government and the authorities’ concerned will read the write-up and do some changes for the benefits of the civil servants.

-Mohammed Ismail

mhmmd_ismaila@yahoo.com

It is important to note recent development of the Federal government to revive and reposition the public service. But the fear is they should not use the reform for the purpose of sacking the workforce. They may privatize and monetize but not the civil service or the armed forces.

Emeka Michael

Machemeka2@hotmail.com

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