AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

ISSN Print: 2156-1540, ISSN Online: 2151-1559, doi:10.5251/ajsms.2012.3.1.17.29

© 2012, ScienceHuβ, http://www.scihub.org/AJSMS

Civil service reforms in Nigeria: The journey so far in service delivery

1
Rosemary O. Anazodo, 2Joseph C. Okoye and 3*Emma E.O. Chukwuemeka,
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
1
Lecturer, Department of Public Administration, Email: [email protected]
2
Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences,
Email:[email protected]
3
Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Administration,
*Corresponding author: Email: ee,[email protected],ng and hrvkonsult@yahoo,com
ABSTRACT
Nations all over the world are currently in the struggle to better their existence through the
process of good governance, and responsible civil service for effective and efficient service
delivery. Nigeria is one of such countries. However the kind of civil service bequeathed to
Nigeria by her colonial master was alien and narrow in scope, and so not development oriented.
At Nigeria independence in 1960, the federal civil service had a staff strength of only 30,000, this
increased steadily to the level of 200,000 in the late 1990s due to political patronage. Many
unqualified personnel joined the Civil Service which resulted to over sized workforce that
absorbed about 87% of the total government revenue. The paper examined the civil service
reforms in Nigeria from independence to the present and how they affected efficient and effective
service delivery in the country. It is the position of paper that the kind of civil service reform that
would tackle these problems should be evolutionary and pragmatic in nature to meet Nigeria
developmental needs and the challenges of the modern world.
INTRODUCTION consists of people employed by the state to run the
public service of a country.
The Civil Service is the administrative bureaucracy
which occupies an essential position in the political Abba and Anazodo (2006), argue that civil service in
system of nations. Throughout the world, the Nigeria comprises workers in the various ministries or
contributions of Civil Service in promoting sustainable departments apart from those who hold political
and equitable economic growth are receiving appointments. Civil Service reform on the other hand
increasing attention. Efficient and effective refers to the purposeful modification of governmental
management of the Civil Service are critical to human resource management system with the goal
sustainable socio-economic development of a nation. of maximizing important administrative values
Thomas (1995), stated that the East Asian (Anazodo 2009).
experience has underscored the critical contributions
The Civil Service in Nigeria is of a colonial creation.
of the Civil Service in fostering rapid development.
The model of Civil Service bequeathed to Nigeria by
The new Encyclopedia Britainnica (2004) defines her colonial master (Britain) was narrow in structure
Civil Service as the body of government officials who and objectives. It was basically structured in such a
are employed in civil occupations that are neither manner that enabled colonial masters to successfully
political nor judicial. Bezzina (1994) opined that Civil extract the much coveted financial and material
Service refers to employees selected and promoted resources needed by their controlling metropolitan
on the basis of a merit and seniority system, which powers. Colonialism was therefore marked by a lack
may include examination. The World Book of accountability and absence of transparency.
Encyclopedia (2004), noted that the Civil Service
 Am. J. Soc. Mgmt. Sci., 2012, 3(1): 17-29

At independence in 1960 when Nigerian nationals organization compatible with the twenty-first century
took over the administrative leadership, no attempt technological and economic requirements. For
was made by them to restructure the Civil Service to example countries like Germany, Australia, USA, UK;
suit our own developmental needs. The Nigeria and New Zealand in the 1970s and 80’s respectively
bureaucrats who occupied the leadership position in embarked on what they called “New Managerialism”.
the Civil Service imbibed the colonial mentality of In countries like Ghana and Uganda incrementalist
wealth acquisition for self-aggrandizement and self- approach to their Civil Service reforms was adopted
superiority. Instead of working to improve the lot of to accommodate their socio-cultural needs and it has
the country, they became colonial masters in a, been working well for them. It is against this back
“black man’s skin”. This aggravated the abysmal drop that the researcher sought to examine some of
performance of the Civil Service and consequently the past reforms in the Nigerian Civil Service to find
the under development of the country. These and out if they actually solved our developmental needs
other factors necessitated the clamour for reforms in and if not what should we do to make our civil service
the Nigeria Civil Service. The colonial masters responsive and efficient?
carried out some reforms, among which are the
Statement of the problem: It is sometimes claimed
Harragin commission of 1945 which was the first
that corruption is part of African culture, but this has
commission set up to look into the Nigeria Civil
been strongly denounced by the former Nigerian
Service, and the Gorsuch commission of 1954-55.
president Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. Colonialism
According to Anazodo (2009), the Harragin
was marked by lack of accountability and
commission was the first commission set up to look
transparency. The courts existed, not to administer
into the man-power problem in the service and the
justice but to sustain the imposition of colonialism.
discontent among the European members of what
Judges were simply Civil Servants wearing wigs and
was described as poor financial reward, while the
the style of governance was characterized by
Gorsuch Commission was the first to attempt giving
government being “done” to people, rather than a
the regional administrative bureaucracies indigenous
people being governed by consent (Ademolekun
structure.
1994:41). The above statement was the case in
After independence, Nigerian government carried out Nigeria. At Independence in 1960, when Nigerians
series of reforms among which are the Adebo took over the leadership of the country, the Civil
Commission (1971), Udoji Public Service Review Service structure was left the way the colonial master
Commission of 1974, Dotun Philips Civil Service kept it. Much was not changed in the activities and
Reform of 1988, Allison Ayida Committee on Civil roles of the Civil Service.
Service of 1995. However, Nigeria is not alone in this
The Nigerians in service replaced the colonial
quest for Civil Service reform. This is because
masters and adopted their style of management for
according to World Bank (2002), there is a strong
self-aggrandizement and exploitation of the masses.
consensus in the international development
This was between the periods of 1960 and 1966,
community on the need for Civil Service reform in
consequently, Nigerians clamoured for
developing nations. It is therefore a topical issue of
Nigerianization policy. The introduction of the
the moment as developing nations all over the world
Nigerianization policy in the Civil Service was meant
engage in the struggle to better their existence
to reduce and ultimately end the expatriate
through the process of reforms for efficient and
predominance in the higher Civil Service in Nigeria
effective service delivery.
but it rather brought with it the problem of the
Significant changes have been occurring since the regionalization of the Nigerian Civil Service, where
Mid 1970s in advanced industrialized country public Nigerians of Northern extract adopted the
administrations, governments sought to reshape Northernization policy in which northerners were
rigid, hierarchical, nineteenth-century bureaucracies given priority attention in the area of recruitment in
into more flexible decentralized, client-responsive the service whether they were qualified or not. The

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same thing went for the Eastern and Western regions corruption which ultimately resulted in ineffectiveness
of the country. This culminated into segregation and and low productivity in the service.
sectionalism in the Nigerian Civil Service. All regions
The higher civil servants assumed great political
therefore vigorously practiced regionalization in their
powers without responsibility to the people. They
respective Civil Service. The military take over of
exhibited selfishness and sectional interests within
power in Nigeria between 1966, 1979 and 1984 to
the system which consequently impaired discipline
1999 dealt a devastating blow on the Civil Service.
and achievement of goals. The individuals were pre-
This means that Nigeria had experienced over 25
occupied with feathering their own nests in total
years of military rule with only short periods of
neglect of their individual and collective roles toward
Civilian rule. The military regime showed lack of
satisfying societal needs. However Riggs (1974)
skills and expertise in managing Nigeria’s economy
opined that in the absence of strong political
and the development of the nation because it
institutions during the military regimes, the Civil
disbanded the legislative and elected representatives
Service tended to become powerful, corrupt and
of the people. According to Ogunna (1999), the
inefficient and ultimately lost its neutrality.
government functioned without the elected legislative,
yet policies were made and implemented and laws The present state of affairs in the Civil Service
were enacted and enforced. This posed the appears that the variables responsible for poor
question: who determined policies and enacted laws performance in the Nigerian Civil Service have not
in Nigeria during this period? The military co-opted been dealt with and so the problem still lingers. It is
former politicians, academics and top civil servants to against this background that the researcher sought to
ministerial posts thereby giving them enormous examine some of the past Civil Service reforms, to
powers to initiate economic, social, and political find out to what extent they were able to solve
policies and at the same time executed them. This problems of inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the
brought about the break down of accountability for Nigerian Civil Service and proffer the way forward.
public spending and lack of probity, in the service. Factors that necessitated various reforms in the
During this time, grand corruption was pervasive Nigerian Civil Service (1960-2005): A number of
among the civil servants and others who had access factors necessitated various reforms in Nigeria. The
to political power. Okigbo reported that between situation of grand corruption among the Civil
1988 and June 1994, some $12.5 billion in Servants was facilitated by the long rule of the
government revenues in extra ordinary “Special Military and its attendant practices of impunity, lack of
Accounts” were unaccounted for and this loot has probity and accountability.
continued up till today. Ogunna (1999) stated that
the military brought into the civil service the factor of Gowon’s regime was unashamedly corrupt to the
insecurity. This started with the “purge” in the public macro level. It was not hidden from the public gaze.
service which was undertaken by Murtala According to the Nigerian Tribune (1975), his pledge
Mohammed’s regime in 1975/76. The Buhari and to enact an anti-corruption decree like other promises
Babangida regimes took more drastic measures in was never fulfilled. The level of corruption under
massive retrenchment of Civil Servants by way of Gowon’s regime came under public scrutiny when
retirements, terminations of appointment and Murtala Mohammed became the head of state and
dismissals. This state of affairs generated fears of set up Assets Investigation Panel to probe the
insecurity, administrative culture of dehumanization governors and other public officers that served under
and frustration in the Civil Service. The Civil Gowon. The panel indicted ten (10) out of twelve
Servants lacked working tools and equipment (12) military governors and so their assets were
coupled with the galloping inflation which kept an confiscated. The anticorruption crusade spread to
average civil servant in perpetual misery, and apathy. the entire public service, thus, the purge of the public
There were low morale, embezzlement, and service that led to the retirement and dismissal of
over 10,000 public servants nation-wide. The

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Murtala’s anti-corrupt crusade did not in any way Table 1. Abacha’s Loot of Nigerian Economy
deterred the politicians of the second republic from BREAK DOWN AMOUNT THE BANKS
corrupt practices, rather they engaged in different th
1995 6 Feb., $4 million & £2 Australia, New
shades of corrupt practices. million Zealand, London
Branch Banking
The Babangida administration came into power via group
coup d’état of August 27, 1985 and lunched Nigeria 1995 17th Feb., $4 million & ANZ, Frankfurt
into eight (8) years of kleptocratic rule. £2million
1995 27th Feb., $4 million & ANZ, Frankfurt
Maduagwu (1993), listed some of the highlights of £2million
Babangida’s corrupt practices as;
1995 8th July $5 million & Bank in Liectenstein
$200 million siphoned from the Aluminum £2million plus £2m AG, Vaduz.
in travelers cheques
and Smelter project.
1995 8th July $5 million & Bank Len, Zurich
N400 million wasted on Better Life project £2million
Huge extra budgeting spending of N186.9 1995 29th Dec. $5 million Bankers Trust
billion naira between 1989 and 1993. Company, London
Babangida regime is said to be the apogee of 1996 28th March $5 million & Bankers Trust
corruption in the history of Nigeria. Abdusalam £3million requested Company, Frankfurt
by Abacha CBN ran Banque Baring
Abubakar administration made mockery of any sense out of foreign Brother, Geneva
of discipline and probity. Christopher Kayode panel currency
report revealed that the contracts awarded by the 1996 29th May $5 million & Barclays Bank
Abdulsalam administration cost Nigeria N635.62 5million. The Bank London, Banque
ran out of pounds. Edouard Constant
billion. The panel also revealed that the depletion of Generale
the foreign reserve which as at the end of 1988,
1996 20th June $30million & Banque Nationale
stood at $7.6 billion had shrank to $3.8 billion by May £5million de Paris, Geneva.
1999. 1996 20th August $30million & Banque Nationale
£15million de Paris, Basel
The Abacha’s loot tops the list of grand corruption in
the history of Nigeria. Although it was glaring that 1996 24th $50million Citibank N.A London
September
Abacha’s regime was corrupt, the extent of it became
1996 30th $50million & Citibank Newyork &
manifest only after Abacha’s demise in 1998. September £3million N.A Luxembourg
Evidence showed that he, his children and their
1997 26th $24million M.M Warburg and
cronies had looted about $3 billion dollars hidden in November Company, Hamburg
foreign accounts scattered across Europe and the
1997 10th $24 million Merrill Lynch Bank,
Persian Gulf. Abacha was described as the “biggest December Geneva
thief” of the 1990s, and was alleged to have sent 1997 18th £6:15million Midland Bank
between $12 to $16 dollars out of Nigeria during his December London, National
five-year reign. The African Network for West Minister’s
Bank, London
Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) a non-
governmental organization illustrated the level of Source: ANEEJ Briefing paper on the Abacha loot,
October 2002.
Abacha’s loot, as highlighted in the table below.

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However wide spread corruption under the military among which are; inefficiency, laziness,
rule and deteriorating economy have raised a number absenteeism, wastefulness and corruption. There
of concerns, both for the country’s and from the are many allegations against some civil servants on
International community. These corruption include grand corruption. In 2001, a permanent secretary of
international financial scams, criminal gangerism, the ministry of defence was accused of embezzling
drug trafficking and currency trafficking. funds amounting to N450 million. The chairperson of
the Educational Tax Fund (ETF), and the Accountant
As the Military juntas were corrupt, so also were
General of the Federation, the former chairman of the
other public servants during the period under review.
Inland Revenue Services were alleged to have
There are several allegations against some public embezzled funds of the ETF to the tune of N40 billion
servants on grand corruption. However when the between 1993 and 2000. However in 2003, Chief
civilians took over power from the military, the Vincent Azie was appointed in Acting Auditor General
problem of inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the of the Federation for six months, he audited the
service still persisted. annual accounts of government bodies.
The Civil Service Crises in this dispensation: Due He reported that most of the accounts audited in
to the absolute power wielded by the military during 2002 were inaccurate and showed some irregularities
its rule, it bloated the work of the Nigerian federal civil in most audited institutions and federal bodies. His
service from less than 30,000 in 1960 to 45, 104 in report of 2003 showed that there were over-invoicing,
1970, it rose to 98, 877 in 1974, 213, 802 in 1988 and non-retirement of cash advances, lack of audit
reached its peak of 273, 392 in 1988 during inspection, payment for jobs not done, double-
Babangida’s administration. At this dispensation of debiting, contract inflation, lack of receipts, back up
civilian leadership, the political leaders also inflated purchases made, brazen violation of financial
the Civil Service due to political patronage. Many regulations, release of money without the approving
unqualified personnel joined the Civil Service and this authorities involvement etc. The report indicted all
resulted in over-sized workforce, and absenteeism federal ministries for gross financial indiscipline and
engulf about 87% of total government revenue. All lack of regards for laid down financial regulations
sorts of vices are associated with the civil service (Azie 2003) see table II below.
Table 2. Ministries Indicted by Vincent Azie (2003) Panel During his Audit

1 Ministry of Works 9 Ministry of Agriculture and rural development

2 Ministry of Transport 10 Federal Civil Service Commission
3 Ministry of Defence 11 Ministry of water resources
4 Ministry of Education 12 Ministry of Information and National Orientation
5 Fed., Min., of Finance 13 Ministry of Environment
6 Ministry of Internal Affairs 14 Federal Ministry of works and housing
7 Ministry of Police Affairs 15 Federal Ministry of water resources
8 Ministry of Power and Steel
st
Source: Report of the Auditor General for the Federation to the National Assembly for the year ended 31 Dec. 2001.

The comparative losses in the federal ministries from

1997 to 2001 is shown on table 3 below.

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Table 3: Comparative Losses in the Federal Ministries 1997-2001

YEAR N0. OF CASH LOSSES AMOUNT IN NAIRA LOSSES OF

STORES/EQUIPMENT
1997 12 3,722.019.94 8
1998 10 4,215,871.42 1
1999 6 1,933,157.45 15
2000 15 3,254,438.86 26
2001 14 1,379,758.47 14
st
Source: Report of the Auditor General for the Federation to the National Assembly for the year ended 31 Dec.
2001.
For decades civil service has mainly served the Reforms (1988) and Allison Ayida Commission
interests of bureaucrats and those engaged in the (1995).
accumulation of public resources for private gain. To
Public service reforms (1963-1999): Morgan
this extent, the London based Economic intelligence
salaries and wages commission (1963): This Public
unit has rated Nigeria as one of the worlds highest
Service Reforms (1963-1999) was directed towards
risk business locations, behind Iraq and Russia.
the review of salaries and wages of workers because
Some Economists suggests that corruption in Nigeria
of an unbearable high cost of living in the country.
constitutes up to 10% of the country’s GDP. At the
The commission recommended a review of grading
grassroot level, officials and administrators ask for
of officers and corresponding salary structure to take
gifts of “Dash” or “Bread” for conducting even the
care of the discrepancies in various parts of the
most basic paperwork. Despite the increasing
country on an ununiform salary grade level,
reported cases of corruption in the Civil Service,
conditions of service and uniform remuneration for
sanctions are not effectively implemented. As a
officers performing the same duty in different parts of
result, Civil Servants often are not punished for
the country. It also recommended the award of a
offenses such as misappropriation or mis-use of
minimum living wage although; this was turned down
public funds.
by the government. Because some of the
Based on the afore-mentioned maladies in the commission’s recommendations were turned down,
Nigeria civil service, various reforms have been and the implementation of the accepted ones did not
introduced by different military regimes and civilian achieve the intended goal the Civil Service continued
administrations in Nigeria to ensure better to perform poorly.
management, effective service delivery and
The Adebo Commission (1971): The commission
accountability of public service.
studied and reformed the Civil Service. It made a
The ultimate goal is to raise the quality of services number of recommendations on the structure and
delivered to the population, support economic and organization of the Civil Service. It reviewed the
social development, enhance the capacity to carryout salaries and wages of workers and recommended
core government functions-revenue generation, that a public service commission should be put in
financial management, personnel management, place to take up the responsibility of effectively
policy formulation etc. To achieve the above, Nigeria reviewing the salaries and wages.
had embarked on many post independence civil
Udoji Public Service Review Commission Of
service reforms. Among the most important ones are
1974: The Udoji Public Service Review Commission
the Adebo Commission (1971), Udoji Public Service
of 1974 during Gowon’s regime, over-hauled the
review commission (1974) Dotun Philips Civil Service
entire public service. The basic reason for setting up
the Udoji Commission was to ensure the

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development and optimum utilization of manpower for state bureaucracy. The highlights of the reform were
efficiency and effectiveness in the service. The that, the minister was made both the chief executive
review commission was tasked to examine the and the accounting officer of his ministry. But before
organization, structure and management of the public the reform the permanent secretary was the
service; investigate and evaluate methods of accounting officer of the ministry. The permanent
recruitment and conditions of employment; examine secretary’s appointment was made political as its
all legislation relating to pension, as regarding all duration/tenure was left for the pleasure of the
post; establish scale of salaries corresponding to president or governor by making their position non-
each grade as a result of job evaluation, etc. The permanent any longer. They were meant to retire
commission made a number of recommendations with the president or governor. The permanent
that led to the adoption of a “New Style Public secretary had a choice whether or not to accept the
Service based on Project Management, management post. The review commission professionalized the
by objective (MBO) and Planning Programming and Civil Service, because every officer whether a
Budgeting System (PPBS)”. The Commission opined specialist or generalist made his career entirely in the
that the absence of these modern management ministry or department of his choice. Each ministry
techniques greatly hindered the ability of the Civil was made to undertake the appointment, discipline
Service workers to achieve desired results. Other and promotions of its staff and the ministries of
recommendations included a unified grading finance and national planning were merged etc.
structure to embrace all posts in the Civil Service,
Allison Ayida Civil Service Reform (1995): Barely
salary to depend on job content and performance,
a decade of operation of the 1988 reform General
promotion to be based on merit, public sector
Sani Abacha came into power and introduced
composition to be in line with that of the private
another reform following the opposition raised by top
sector, finance and personnel management to be
Civil Servants on the politicization of the post of
modernized, introduction of code of ethics, motivation
permanent secretaries. The reform panel was
of workers, man power development, the term
chairmaned by Allison Ayida in 1995. The Abacha
administration to be changed to management etc.
regime discovered that the Nigeria Civil Service was
The Udoji Public Service Review Commission
dying gradually due to the effects of the 1988
attempted to achieve a “New Style Public Service
reforms. The panel was meant to examine and
based on result oriented management which would
properly define the role of the Civil Service as an
be capable of meeting the challenges of
executive arm of government, examine various
development”. However institutional and cultural
provisions of the Civil Service Decree N0. 43 of 1988
problems combined to weaken the effectiveness and
and make recommendations on how to improve
efficiency of the Civil Service reform and this led to a
performance, efficiency and commitment in the
drastic reduction of the workforce in which about
service, make appropriate recommendations on how
12,000 public servants lost their jobs in 1975,
to raise the morale of the workers, examine the
culminating to low morale of the workers which
problem of co-ordination and accountability in the
adversely affected productivity in the service.
ministries and make recommendations, examine the
Dotun Philips Civil Service Reform Commission abolition of the office of the head of service and the
1988: Still trying hard to re-engineer the Nigeria Civil pooling system etc. after studying the above issues,
Service for effective service delivery, the Dotun the Ayida committee recommended that for effective
Philips Civil Service Reform Commission of 1988 was economic management of the Civil Service, the
set up by the Babangida regime, under the ministries should be structured according to their
chairmanship of Dotun Philips. The Commission was objectives, functions and sizes and not on uniform
set to study the structure, staffing and operations of pattern, and that the minister should continue to be
the federal Civil Service. This reform did more harm head of the ministry only and the permanent
than good as it encouraged corrupt practices in the

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secretary the accounting officer so as to re-introduce patrimonialism, corruption, poor accountability and
checks and balances. legitimacy. According to Ayoade (1988:107-111), the
need to improve efficiency and accountability in
Present State of the Civil Service: The Nigerian
Nigerian Civil Service is therefore obvious. Nigeria
Civil Service has undergone several organizational
should stop copying verbatim foreign models of Civil
and structural reforms, both before and after
Service but develop her own model that will enable
independence as we have X-rayed above, yet there
her achieve her developmental needs. She has to do
is no tremendous improvement in the quality of
this by emulating those countries that had suffered
service provided to the citizenry. Corruption still
the same fate but have now adopted their Civil
rears its ugly head again after many years of military
Service to their socio-cultural values and have
exit in governance. There is weak national
achieved results. With the disillusionment of a
consciousness due to earlier introduction of the
centralized control of the Civil Service in Nigeria
Nigerianization and regionalization policies that
today, the government is increasingly under pressure
encouraged ethnicity and sectionalism in the rank
to improve its administrative efficiency and to render
and file of staffers in the service. There is multiplicity
faster, better and more responsive services to a client
of classes and grades which brought about over
public. Unfortunately there is still a uniform
bloating of the number of Civil Servants resulting to
centralized control of the service as was put in place
high re-current expenditure to the peril of
by the colonial masters although with little
infrastructural development. There is still a uniform
modification. It was effective for them in the
centralized control of the Civil Service as was put in
accomplishment of their mission in Nigeria. But
place by the colonial masters. In this twenty-first
today it is no more effective for us if we must meet
century, there is disillusionment with the uniform st
the challenges of development in this 21 century.
centralized control of the Civil Service management.
Nigeria therefore should decentralize her Civil
Such ‘controls according to experts was to assure
Service to a reasonable extent from the center to the
impartial application of personnel policies to
out-post offices so as to give them power to attend to
professionalize the Civil Service cadres and to route
emergencies as they arise. This will go a long way in
out corruption and patronage. But it is obviously
strengthening the system. Nigeria should borrow a
clear today that these variables have not been dealt
leaf from some advanced countries like Asian
with, therefore a decentralize civil service will to some
countries, France, US, Germany, Netherlands, and
extent provide a panacea to the problem of
Canada who have tremendously improved their Civil
development in Nigeria.
Service by making it more Client public-oriented.
Critical Analysis of the Impact of the reforms: They achieved this by using a model of centralized
These reforms starting from the Morgan Commission control allowing a reasonable degree of
of 1963 to the Allision Ayida Panel of 1994, tried quiet decentralization, flexibility and delegation of Civil
a lot at improving the Civil Service in Nigeria. But by Service Management system. Nigeria should
2005, it was obvious that a result oriented Civil emulate the above mentioned industrialized countries
Service had not emerged in Nigeria. The quality of by embarking on a search for ways to reduce Civil
the Civil Service was severely hampered by cultural, Service expenditures and at the same time improve
structural, institutional and other management performance standards in government by adopting
defects. the “New public management (NPM) style” or the
The Way Forward: In Nigeria governance is largely “New Managerialism”. It could do this by way of
typified by expansion patronage and authoritarian adopting different phases in her reform process.
rule. Poor African Countries perform badly, Hood (1991), opined that major New Public
considering the varying degrees they suffer from a Management (NPM) doctrines are that (a) direct
number of pathologies like inefficiency, centralization, public sector costs must be cut, (b) Private sector
fragmentation, poor leadership, lack of capacity, style management practices must be applied to

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increase flexibility in decision making (c) competition at a legal age, transparent privatization of
in the public sector must be increased to help lower government functions / activities, establishment of
costs and better standards (d) the public sector must guaranteed jobs for graduates, voluntary retirement
be decentralized to make units more manageable and lay off of non-permanent staff.
and productive (e) results should be stressed rather
The second approach is to (a) reduce direct role of
than procedure (f) explicit standards and
government in managing the economy and in
performance measure must be established because
producing services so as to enable the private sector,
accountability requires clearly stated aims and
local governments and communities provide such
efficiency requires attention to goals (g) managers
services, (b) policy formulation, co-ordination,
must be given powers for professional management,
regulations and monitoring functions of government
because accountability requires clear assignment of
should be strengthened (c) to change the way Civil
responsibility not diffusion of power. According to
Service is managed by establishing performance
Jann (1997:96), the NPM inspired measures include
incentives and (d) to re-organize ministerial functions
reduction and refocusing of public sector functions
including decentralization, corporatization, out
through staff reductions and changes in budgetary
sourcing and privatization.
allocations, restructuring of public organizations
through reorganization of ministries, decentralization, The third approach is to use fiscal reform to
delinking or hiring-off of central government functions spearhead shifts in budgeting allocations, towards
to local governments or other bodies or private core government functions.
sector, etc. The Nigeria government is advised that in applying
To reduce and refocus Civil Service activities in the above approaches, it should do it in line with the
Nigeria, Civil Service workforce must be reduced. level of the social and economic needs of the
Lienert and Mordi, (1997) agree that measures are to country. Some examples of the countries that
be taken along this line and they must come in adopted cut back management according to Nunberg
phases. The first approach could be called “cut back (1995) included the United States of America in the
management” which will help in curbing public early 1980s. Dutch government’s downsizing
spending and Civil Service staffing in response to the exercises reduced the Civil Service personnel by two
fiscal constraints of the country. This could be done percent per annum, in the mid 1980s, a Japanese
through further down-sizing exercise of the Civil programme to reduce Civil Service staff by five
Service staff which would be achieved through the percent took place between 1986 and 1992, and the
removal of “Ghost” workers, elimination of vacant U.K’s reduction of Civil Service staff by 22 percent
posts, retrenchment of redundant staff or recruitment was between 1979 and 1989 (see figures 1, 2 and 3).
slow downs, freezing of hiring, compulsory retirement

Number of civil servants Annual growth rate

Fig 1. Civil Service Employment In Selected Oecd Countries, 1979-1990

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 Am. J. Soc. Mgmt. Sci., 2012, 3(1): 17-29

Australia Japan
180 6% 520 6%

170 4% 4%
510
(thousand)

(thousand)
160 2% 2%

150 500
0% 0%
140
-2% 480 -2%
130
-4% -4%
120 400 * * * * * * * *
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990

Note: data unavailable for years marked with an asterisk (xx).

United Kingdom United Kingdom

750 6% 3200 6%
700 4% 3100 4%
650
(thousand)

(thou sand)
3200
2% 2%
600 2900

550 0% 2800 0%
500 2700
-2% -2%
450 2600
-4% -4%
400 * 2500
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990

Source: World Bank Discussion Papers managing the Civil Service (1995)

Fig 2. Percentage Changes In Civil Service Employment For Selected Oecd Countries, 1984-89

6.8%

1.4%

0.3%

0.1%

-0.6%
-0.2%
-2.5%
-0.5%
-2.7%
-0.5%
-3.3%
-0.7%
-5.70%
-1.1%
-9.1%
-1.8%

Total change Average annual change

Note: Changes in Germany are based on 1985-89 time period Source: CECPS

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 Am. J. Soc. Mgmt. Sci., 2012, 3(1): 17-29

3.76 3.69

3.08 Earliest period

2.90 1989

1.30 1.28 1.24

0.99 1.04 1.02

0.93 0.88

0.51 0.50
0.43 0.40

84 89 79 89 79 89 79 89 79 89 79 89 85 89 84 89
France Sweden United United Australia Canada Germany Japan
Kingdom States

Fig 3. Civil Servants Per 100 In The Population In Selected Oecd Countries, Source: CECPS

As the above figures (1,2 and 3) depict, the cutback environment, Nigeria should embrace the ‘next steps’
management programme brought about reductions in programme the way it would suit her. The Civil
public employment in the Civil Service of selected Service management should be tripartite, usually with
countries as shown above. For Nigeria, the cutback powers divided among a policy guidance body, and
management will not be enough to make the Civil oversight agency which would help to ensure fair and
Service performance more efficiently and meritorious practices, financial control cum
responsively. She should deepen her reforms by monitoring organ, under which a regulatory body to
increasing flexibility and devolving still more take charge of the workers’ salary should be
responsibility and accountability to lower managerial established. This measure will go a long way in
levels as is perceived in U.K. This is called “Next curbing the frequent struggles between the
Steps Programme”. The aim is to further relax government and the workers on the matters of
central financial and management controls and to remuneration. Workers often struggle with the
devolve more responsibilities to the line managerial government before they are paid their minimum wage
level. In countries like Australia and New Zealand, or living wage. Sometimes some states will agree to
the ‘Next Steps’ administrative reform has spunned pay, while some other states disagree to pay the
off various central government functions to newly minimum living wage to the workers. If a salary
formed executing agencies. However policy regulatory body is established, workers salaries
functions should be retained in central departments would be adjusted based on the state of the country’s
while agencies should be charged with service economy and this will drastically reduce the
delivery. The ministers to whom these agencies frequency of strikes, embezzlement, other corrupt
report to should be responsible for programme practices, and low morale by the Civil Servants. In
outcomes. In Nigeria, central control of the activities Malaysia, for example, a New Remuneration System
of the Civil Service has seriously impeded prompt has been established which ensures that incentive
service delivery. So while bearing in mind her social packages are regularly given to the workers. Still

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 Am. J. Soc. Mgmt. Sci., 2012, 3(1): 17-29

and, in particular personal achievements are revenues from diamonds and the annual rate of
recognized and rewarded. In countries like, USA, inflation, the body made automatic annual
Australia and Germany, salary regulatory bodies are adjustments in 1982 and 1990 the annual
established. In Botswana public service, a salary adjustments were followed by the award of salary
regulatory body known as “Presidential Salary increase based on the recommendations of the
Review Commission” has been instituted to regulate presidential salary review commission (Mogolori
the salary of workers in line with the state of the Modisi 1996:70). In those years salaries were thus
country’s economy. Following the increased increased twice as shown in the table below.
Table 4
Grade 1983/84 1993/94 Folds of Increase
P P
F0 21,768 124,728 5.7
F1 21,012 108,456
F2 18,984 94,320
E1 17,460 82,008 4.6
E2 16,428 71,316
D1 15,408 62,004
D3 14,388 48,456
C1 13,476 37,872 2.8
C2 9,948 30,792
C3 6,984 25,056
B1 6,996 16,080 2.3
B2 4,920 13,464
B3 3,972 10,992
Source: Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM)
The re-structuring and re-organization of the Civil sector performance should not be ignored while
Service should not be only in the area of considering the various options in this paper vis-à-vis
nomenclature but also in personnel utilization. This the Nigeria socio-cultural environments. The
will help to ensure that manpower is optimally research also recommends that other African
deployed and that there is effective monitoring Countries especially in the West African sub-region
system of the productivity of individual workers to that were once colonized should consider the above
ensure high productivity of the whole work-force. The options recommended for Nigerian civil service for
initial recruitment and placement of workers should the improvement of their own civil service in
be on the bases of skills and competence. Appraisal consonance with their socio-cultural values and
and promotion of workers should be more objective circumstances.
based on skills and, in particular, personal
CONCLUSION
achievements just as it is obtained in the Malaysian
New Remuneration System. There is need to identify Having identified the problem in the Nigerian Civil
workers training needs to find out where they are Service from independence till date and proffered
deficient so as to train them accordingly. Anybody suggestions on how to improve the service, what
who fails or does not perform after the training should Nigeria needs now is to adopt a “new style
be asked to voluntarily retire. There should be a management” bearing in mind her social and
substantial freeing-up of centrally imposed rules on economic environment. Again the implementation
budgetary and staffing matters, so as to enable strategy and monitoring systems of the Civil Service
managers be both efficient and effective. The fact are to be taken seriously so that the Nigerian Civil
that excessive rule and regulations create Service would be service-and-result-oriented geared
inefficiencies, while devolution and freeing-up the towards the achievement of the nation’s socio-
rules give managers flexibility in improving public economic development.

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Finally, for the Nigerian government to succeed, the Studies in Bureaucracy And Under Development
Civil Service should be organized in such a way to be Lagos: Pumark Nig. Ltd. JOURNALS
in fore-front of the national change process initiating, Maduagwu, M.O (1995), Nigeria in Search of Political
guiding and managing change. Above all, the Culture. The Political Class, Corruption and
neutrality of the Civil Service should be guarded Democratization. A paper presented at a conference
jealously. on corruption and Democratization in Nigeria
University of Ibadan, pg 19-20
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