THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT
This research study is designed to contain the contributions and role of public enterprises on socio-economic development of Kaduna State. The main purpose of this research is to determine the role of public enterprises in the growth and success of the socio-economic development. As a basic research, its finding aimed at drawing generations that can stand the rest falsification in both time and space. As an applied research, its finding aimed at producing ideas that can be used to bring about improvement in the management of Zaria industry and public corporations in the whole country.
In Nigeria, the origin of public enterprises can be traced to the colonial period. This began with the establishment of the post and telecommunication system, railway and sea transport authorities.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There exist a number of arguments put forward for the establishment of public enterprises and their participation in a nation’s economic activities. Public enterprises were established in Nigeria after Second World War. The post independence period marked the proliferation of public enterprises in Nigeria, before local government were used as a strategy of development by the colonial government.
Their establishment reflects the desire of government to guide and to directly control socio-economic progress and development in the country as apply put by Gboyega.
“They are an incursion into essential economic and social areas that private enterprises are reluctant or incapable of entering due to either the enormous capable involved or low profitability promotion of employment and skills needed for maintaining stability in a depressed economy and fair distribution of community needs.
The existence of public enterprises is very important to a developing nation as Nigeria, they are instruments for implementing socio-economic development programmes and for providing essential goods and services at a reasonable charges to the public at large.
This study concentrates on the positive and negative impact of public enterprises on socio-economic development at Kaduna State and the problems associated with public enterprises activities. More specifically this research will examine Zaria Industry which is one of Kaduna State public enterprises expected to contribute to industrial development of the state. In this view, what is the economic and social impact of this company on the development and people of Kaduna State? Public enterprises are partly or wholly owned and controlled by government to accomplish the specific objective of stimulating and accelerating socio-economic progress and development in the country and Kaduna State.
The government believes that public enterprises alone to assume key role of accelerating development, the aim was to get away from its traditional caretaker and regulatory function and move into active participation in the production sectors of the economy.
The Nigerian public enterprises as a whole operate in diverse fields of activity such as fogging steel, refining and mining oil, producing fertilizers, hydro electric. Power generation and financial institutions, etc.
This means that government plays a leading role in many sectors of the economy in order to harness the fruits of economic growth for overall socio-economic development and progress. In order words, the work is undertaken to see the contributions of public enterprises, represented by the organization in question, Zaria Industry to the economic development of Kaduna State.