Classwork Exercise and Series (Civic Education- SS2): Public Service (I)

Meaning of Public Service

Pubic Service is a body or a department in the executive arm of the Government responsible for the execution of the policies and programmes of the Government.

The Public Service and its workers who are referred to as CIVIL SERVANTS perform purely administrative functions which entail formulation and implementation of government policies. The public service is divided into departments and each department carries out specific functions. The department called “Ministries“or commissioners who serve as political and executive head. The armed forces, the police, public corporations and government owned companies are not in the civil service are collectively called public service but their workers, including the civil servants are called public servants.

Therefore, public (corporation) service may be defined as a business organization established, owned, managed and financed with tax payers money by the government of a country with the main motive of not making profit but to render important services to members of the public.

A public corporation is also known as public enterprise or statutory corporation. It is established by the act of parliament which also determines the functions it will perform. Public corporations are owned by the government but managed by board of directors appointed by the government.

Examples of public corporations are Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Airways, Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Nigeria Railway Corporation e.t.c

Reasons for Short comings in Public Service

1. Colonial Influence: Most public corporations incorporated in Nigeria during the colonial era are no longer inform since the departure of colonial masters who were the initiators of this public corporation. Some of these public corporations were seized and manipulated by private individuals into their own private businesses.
2. Corruption: The effectiveness of the public service has been slowed down by bribery and corruption to the extent that public servants fail to perform their official duties as they look forward to bribery before carrying out their duties.
3. Bureaucracy: This means the excessive use of formalities in the public service which may militate against effectiveness.
4. Tribalism: This has been the yardstick for choosing who to employ and sack in the Nigerian public service.
5. Political Instability: Constant and regular change of top rank office holders in public service brings about constant instability of rules and regulations. This constantly leads to the shortcomings in the public service.
6. Political Interference: Many Governments in power do not allow the free flow of duties due to their undue interference which at most times is only  favorable to politicians.
7. Poor Orientation and Low Salaries: Public servants get poor or no orientations about their jobs. This is coupled with their low salary earnings as peanut which is another reason for shortcomings.
8. Lack of Qualified Personnel: Most people in various public service offices either neglect their right jobs or have little  or no experience about it but carry out such services due to their search for greener pasture.
9. Inadequate Training Facilities: The Nigerian public service lacks adequate training facilities for staff improvement of skill. They have to send many of the staff abroad for more training and some of the staff through the medium may not return but settle for their private pursuits there.

Ways of Improving Public Service in Nigeria

1. Refresher of courses and training programmes: The introduction of fresher courses and training programmes home and abroad for public servants on the various skills they need to improve their jobs and Nigeria.
2. Teaching political education in schools: The introduction of political education into the school curriculum like the learning of civic education, government, diplomacy and other political thoughts to all levels of education.
3. Use of code of conduct bureau and public complaints commission: Government should establish some disciplinary codes of conduct which will watch the affairs of public servants.

The Public (Civil) Service Commission

The Public service commission is an independent body set up by the government with the responsibility of employing, promoting, disciplining and dismissing public (civil) servants.

The body is made up of a chairman and some other members appointed by the president or governor for a number of years according to the structure of government in power.

OMBUDSMAN

The Ombudsman is the institution established to investigate and deal with cases of maladministration, injustice, corruption and unfair treatment by public officers or public authorities against citizens. This body which is also known as the public complaints commission was first introduced in Sweden in 1809 and has since been established in many other countries including Nigeria. The ombudsman was established in October 1975 by the military administration of General Muritala Mohammed. Other bodies that perform similar functions are Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

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