THE PROBLEMS IN MANAGING HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IN THE NIGERIAN CIVIL SERVICE
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Increasing competitive pressures are causing organizations to continually look for ways that make their employees achieve high level of performance.
The effectiveness of an organization is determined by the behaviour of employees who are responsible to deliver value to customer and generating revenue.
It will not be possible to understand the complexity of human behaviour in an organization without taking account of an integrated organizational system which are; the individual, group and organizational dimensions that can influence a person’s behaviour. Thus, knowledge in a group and how the group members function is vital to understanding the behaviour of workers in an organization. The study highlight sailent point regarding problems in managing human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service.
Historical Background
The Nigerian Civil Service owned its origin from the British system. This can be traced to the beginning of Colonial Rule in the country. Lord Lagurd adopted the policy of direct rule in order to get effective control of the people through their traditional rulers. But the colonial civil service, presided over by British Representative had to ensure that the needs of the colonial master, were adequately supplied.
The Civil Service is the engine that drives the wheel of government. Though the service has over time been taunted to be not so bridge between every old new government. It is the stabilizing force and sustaining foundation for an in-coming administration. The Civil Service, using its various apparatus, appendage and institutions, makes positive inputs towards the initiation of laudable polices and programmes for the people. This polices and programmes are tailored in line with the vision, policy thrust and agenda of the existing government. Though the Civil Servant is expected to be politically neutral, yet he or she is bound to exhibit total and unsolicited loyalty to the government in power at all times, expressing at the same time, unflinching commitment to the attainment of the goals and objectives of the government.
Anwana (2009) maintains that the early civil service constituted of Customs, Medical, Sanitary, Prisons, Engineering, Habour, Education, Marine, Road, and Forestry Departments as well as the Police Force and Post Office.
Following the amalgamation of the North and South in 1914, eleven departments were regarded as “Central. The department were Railway, Audit, Treasury, Post and Telegraphs, Judicial, Legal Survey, Medical, Sanitary, Forest and Works. With the approach of independence a central and three regional governments emerged, each with twelve ministries. However, as at present the Federal Department have grown to roughly thirty.
The second Republic adopted the presidential system of government. People who had not gone through the mill as career civil servants were not appointed as Permanent Secretaries. All that is now changed.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria Implementation Guideline on the Civil Service Reforms (1988) has seen certain changes including that of the appointment of permanent secretaries as political. The reforms actually arouse uncertainty with respect to continued employment and guideline that can affect the security to continued employment and hence their level of motivation and productivity.
Akwa Ibom State Civil Service
The Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission was established under section 178 third scheduled per 11A of the 1979 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as emended and the Akwa Ibom State Edict No.1 of 1989.
Functions
Specifically, the commission was responsible for the recruitment, promotion and discipline of staff on salary grade level 07 to 14. Delegated powers to ministries and Extra-ministerial Departments were in respect of officers on grade level 01-06.
Maintaining a comprehensive and up-to-date personnel records for the civil service as a whole. Monitoring activities of ministries and Extra Ministerial Department to ensure compliance, uniformity and standards.
Structure
The Akwa Ibom State Civil Service in 2009 was organized as follows: Office of the Governor, Ministries, Bureau, Extra-Ministerial Department, Commissions and Boards.
Governor’s Office: comprises the office of the Governor, Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, office of the Head of Civil Service of the state.
Ministries: Agriculture, Environment, Housing, Urban Development, Education, Youth and Sports, Finance, Economic Development, Health, Industry, Culture and Tourism, Information, Justice, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Works, Transport, Women Affairs, Special Duties etc.
Bureau: Establishment, Industrial relations, Pensions and Training, General Service Bureau, Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Political Affairs Bureau.
Commissions: Civil Service Commission, Law Reform Commission, Local Government Service, State Commission for Women, Economic Advisory Commission.
Boards: Hospital Management Board, Local Government Pensions Boards, State Primary Education Board, State Technical School Board.
Extra-Ministerial Department: Agency for Adult and non-formal Education, Board of Internal Revenue, Uyo Capital City Development Authority, Judicial Service Committee, Judiciary, Office of Auditor-General.
Staff Strength: As at 2009, the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service had an overall staff strength of 18,000 (Eighteen Thousand).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The problems of managing human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service has become one of the greatest challenges confronting government organizations in the 21st century.
Others argued that government organizations are inefficiently run probably because they were not primarily established for profit making. That is why some campaign for their privatization.
The research therefore intends to locate some problems within the organisation by seeking answers to the following research questions.
1.3 Research Questions
- How effective is the management of AKBC to the employee?
- Does proper recruitment procedures in AKBC enhance optimal productivity and growth in the organization?
- What are the policies as regard development and training of employees in the Nigerian Civil Service?
- How effective is the organizational reward polices on employees?
1.4 Purposes of the Study
The major purpose of this study is to identify the problems in managing human behaivour in Nigerian Civil Service, using Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC), Uyo as case study.
The study shall identify some problems from individual, group and organisational perspective, and also compare the degree of impact of these problems.
1.5 Hypotheses
Hypothesis I
Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective management and employees behaviour in AKBC
Ho1: There is a significant relationship between effective management and employees behaviour in AKBC
Hypothesis II
Ho: There is no significant relationship between recruitment procedures and human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service.
Ho1: There is a significant relationship between recruitment procedures and human behaviours in Nigerian Civil Service.
Hypothesis III
Ho: There is no significant relationship between employ training and human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service.
Ho1: There is a significant relationship between employee training and human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service.
Hypothesis IV
Ho: There is no significant relationship between reward and human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service
Ho1: There is a significant relationship between reward and human behaviour in the Nigerian Civil Service
1.6 Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined for the purpose of understanding.
- Civil Service: This is the engine that drives the wheel of government. It is the one and only reliable bridge between every old and new government.
- Structure: The structure of the Civil Service is how Akwa Ibom State Civil Service is organized, (ie Government Office, Ministries, Bureau, Commissions, Board and Extra-ministerial Department.
- Employee behaviour: This is how well or badly an employer behaves when assigned a task to perform in the establishment.
- Training: This is the totality of all activities and programs aimed at helping employees get more knowledge, skills, principles and responsibilities to improve their overall productivities.
- Group cohesiveness: Belonging to a united group characterized by uniformity of behaviour and mutual support for members.
- Behavioural incentives: financial land non-financial rewards used for employee motivation.
- Management: management is defined by Hilks and Gullect as the process of getting things done through other people. Gueck (1964) defined management as the effective and efficient utilization of human and material resources to achieve organizational goals.
- Staffing: Koartz and Weitrich (1980:514) say, staffing involves effective recruitment, selection, placement appraisal and development of people to occupy the role in the organisation structure.
- Significance of the study
Every research study undertaken by the researcher is for a
purpose, as it will have a positive contribution to both the academic field and the society at large.
The results of this research will provide a better understanding of what kinds of attributes influence employee behaviour from all levels of the organisation for the managers.
Managers will discover the variables that influence human behaviour and understand goals.
Finally, it will provide additional source of secondary data to other researchers who might find it useful to their enquires.
