THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC SECTOR ADMINISTRATION
ABSTRACT
Communication technologies have come to play a vibrant role in democratizing education not only in the developed but also in the developing countries. However, in spreading the use of information and communication technology some major difficulties are feet by the policy makers as well as the implementers, these difficulties are felt both at the growth and application stages of communication technology, the problems associated with the growth of ICT that have been focused upon in then paper are political factors, economics factors, cultural factors and technological factor. The major objectives of this project is to measure, analyze, evaluate and provide guidance on initiatives employing the current generation of ICTS in the workplace and communities and to foreshadow the possible impact of emerging information technologies. Information communication technology sector specialize in policy, position papers, research, strategic frameworks, implementation plans as well as multi country benchmarking. These services also extend to organizing event and stakeholder facilitation as well as assisting with presentations, compiling and publishing consultative document.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Of The Study
The role of information communication technology in the public sector it cannot be over emphasized function and types of corruption existing within the different public sector (the civil services, tertiary institution/examination bodies, the policy, the power holding company, the executive, Legislature and the judiciary in Nigeria government are found to vary from one sector to another existing information technology is pivotal in checkmating corruption (Edican and Emem 2008:12) beyond checkmating corruption information communication technology (ICT) are a potent force in enabling the public sector achieves effectiveness ICTS have became an indispensable means of reducing bureaucratic practice effectiveness (fufborg 2005:94) even developing nation are taking a cue from the developed ones and are promoting the government and other icts in public sector initiatives to improves the quality and responsiveness of the services they provides to their citizens. India, Brazil and Malaysia have been able to expand the reach and accessibility of their services and public infrastructure through ICT.
This has allowed their citizens to experience a faster and more transparent form of access to government services (Oke Bukola: 2003:9) however the Nigeria situation depicts a sharp contrast the country’s public sector is utterly conservative and has refused to open to new innovations (Okebukota: 2003:4) Buttressed this fact by stating “computer technology is not part of our public sector activities. Thus the traditional file and cabinet continue to dominate public sector administrative service” this situation is quite alarming considering the fact that an efficient public sector is a prerequisite for establishing effective governance. In relation to the national population commission (NPC) in Imo State the imperativeness of ICT cannot be expunged figures from the (NPC) are used for planning and analysis the population in term of its size, composition and distribution.
According to Okeibunor (2001:2) without appropriate demography data base, planning for human beings would be problem and executive of the development project would be deficient as such the justification of their allocation is predicted on the accuracy of data from the national population commission in Imo State. In this view of the foregoing it can be deduced that the NPC plays an intricate role in facilitating social and economic development for the Nigerian Nation. As such, this research work is predicated on how ITC can be used to facilitate public sector efficiently with a special reference to the National population commission (NPC) in Imo State.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The mode of public sector activities world wide is metamorphosing. Contemporary government are mutating initiatives through which societal resources can be better managed, while the role of government in Scio-economic development can be fully optimized the problem of information communication technology in the public sector and strategies for ICT to perform well is not a simple means, it involves making use of ICT application and such technology is often subjected to errors.
1.The major problem is that, the use of computer access to internet and other tools of ICT are limited greatly in the urban areas, and the challenges faced by the ICT sector in the country include particularly the fact that the people in the rural areas are yet to know how to use the computer.
2.The national population commission in Imo State it has been stymied by administrative pathologies such as inefficiency, bureaucratic bottlenecks, outside information and data, poor services and ill-motivated staff (Okebukola: 2005:6) it is not uncommon to find that many public sector agencies including the NPC keep records in files and tucked away in filling cabinets where they accumulated dust many of these files are often eaten up by rodent and cockroaches thus, rendering them dom irretrievable.
A first deal of routine administrative work in public sector establishment is still done manually with the state and federal government little or no interest in embracing ICT. The appropriate application of ICT it can be used to reduce the number of inefficiencies in the process by allowing the files and data-sharing between the NPC indmo state and other government department, thereby contributing to the elimination of mistakes and manual procedures. The afore-mentioned, clearly stipulates the positive input ICT can contribute to be modern day activities of the national population commission in Imo State.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To determine if ICT aids public sector efficiency
2. To find out the level of ICT application in NPC in Imo State public sector with emphasis on the national population commission in Imo state.
3. To determine of there are any Scio-cultural factor that militate against the incorporation of ICT into the activities of the NPC in Imo State.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
To enable the researcher solve a problem his research work the following research question were formulated.
a) What role it has the information communication technology ICT played in the running of government activities effectively and efficiently.
b)What role does information communication technology played in national population commission in Imo State (NPC).
c)How does information communication technology enhanced development in a given nation.
d)How does information communication technology checkmate crimes and fraud in a Nation?
1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis will be tested.
Ho: information communication technology did not play a vital role in enhancing the smooth running of government and checkmating of fraud in public sector.
Hi: have initiated and implemented the modern technologies and strategies that will offer development opportunities to the Nation.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study show how ICT can empower the general public to actively participate in policy formulation and help ensure transparently use of public frauds finally, this study work would contribute to the limited indigenous literature on how ICT aided initiatives can be used to facilitate Nigerian public sector reforms.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will focus on the role of ICT in public sectors administration using national population commission (NPC) in Imo state and the study also is concerns ICT and public.
