THE ROLE OF CIVIL SERVICE IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF AKWA IBOM CIVIL SERVICE)

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SERVICE IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF AKWA IBOM CIVIL SERVICE)

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

In every society, the most exist some problems. This problem could be in the area of politics, commerce, education, agriculture, communication, housing, transportation, health etc in order to solve the problems as they exist at a given point in time. Government is always seen providing civil services  in response to the existing problems and in order to enhance growth, national development and the well being of the people (citizen). This is necessary because if attempts are not made to address these problems as they arise, they may generate into uncontrollable stages with the society’s social economic growth and  development endangered (Okole and Ona 2002:98). For this, the role of civil service is usually very pervasive and dominant particularly in developing  nation like Nigeria with a very weak private sector (Ikelebe 2006:87).

For instance, it is the role of civil service that determine the development and the  level  of  provision of social services,  the availability  of financial service for economic activities, the level of industrialization, the level of security, attainment of education, employment opportunity, the availability of health facilities, the level of social and economic inequality etc

Fundamentally, a civil service is a Government  organ directed at achieving certain desired goals or objectives (Ikelogbe 2006:32). In the  presence of a given societal problem, civil service roles guides and determines present and future public decisions as well as private individual or private business institutional actions, decisions or behaviour.

According Aba (2010: 812) civil service roles are made or determined by the legislative and executive arms of Government in both federal, state, and local tiers of Government  and implemented by the civil service commission. Indeed, every country of world. Civil service roles are implemented primary by the civil service commission and specifically by the career civil servant that work in them.

This role the civil service plays through the effective implementation of government polices, projects and programme aimed at achieving development goals and objectives.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

Most developing countries face challenges of civil service implementation of their roles. In Nigeria, the roles of civil service do exist, but the issues of implementation remains the major problem. This has in number of ways deterred and slow down developmental effort in Nigeria as an emerging nation. It is therefore, against this reason that this research intends to investigate the role of civil service in national development using Akwa Ibom civil service commission as the case study.

This research also intended to find out the major factors militating against implementation of the role of civil service and how it affects national development.

It has been observed that the role of civil service often turns out to be the graveyard of the service where the intentions of the designers of the roles are undermined by a constellation powerful forces of politics and administration cooperation with people, as such this research intend to bring to bear why this has been happening to the subject matter and why little attentions is paid to the civil service role by the service decision makers.

This research work also investigates other variables responsible for the poor implementation of civil services role in Nigeria, such variables which: lack of finances, lack of continuity or political instability, corruption, bad leadership etc.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The promotion of national development through civil service role is such an interesting subject or study. It is believed that the outcome of this research work will be of interest to the civil service commission to showcase the need for civil service role which could be a prerequisite for the civil service formation, that will enhance an efficient national development.

It will provide the knowledge in some of the major challenges facing civil service commission. This research will also serve as a vital material to those who may also want to carry out further research work in this regard.

Furthermore, it look at government bureaucracy in a democratic society, how does one efficiently get from the declaration of a civil service role to its implementation has been a low priority for our political officials.

This study also promote national development through civil service role for a better dissemination on the political and economic reforms in developing countries like Nigeria to assist reformers to maneuver within the challenges of the environmental.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What are the important of civil service role in the national development?
2. What are the factors hindering the successful implementation of the role of civil of service in Nigeria?
3. What are the implications of this poor implementation of civil service role on national development?
4. What are the strategies and factors responsible for the success in national development through civil service role?

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY