Classwork Series – Civic Education: Short Comings In Public Service

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.