Improving public sector performance: Key to Nigeria’s economic growth - Akabueze

Ben Akabueze, Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget

Dr. Oladimeji Alo, President,
Chartered Institute of Personnel THIS is a most auspicious occasion which I consider apt and relevant in this period when the global economic meltdown imposes on us the need to be ingenious and rethink our national strategies, if we must reach the zenith of our national potential.

The on-going economic crisis has challenged managers in both the private and public sectors the world over to take a second and critical look at broad policies and procedures especially those related to their human resources. I wish to, therefore, begin my presentation by commending the organisers for the choice of the theme of the year 2009 Human Resource Forum: “Improving Public Sector Performance: Panacea for the realising the Seven-Point Agenda

It is my view that the choice of topic was informed by the centrality of the public sector as a catalyst for economic growth the world over whether in the free market models or in the state-controlled economic model.

In both models, the public sector has the role of formulating social, economic, political and fiscal policies. These policies have profound impact on business and its growth potential. While it is true that it is the private sector that should drive the process of creating national wealth and expand prosperity, it is the public sector that will create the enabling environment for such through quality of its programmes, policies and legislation/regulations.

Because the role of the public sector cannot be over emphasised, there is a critical need to, therefore, undertake this discussion bearing in mind the following: What is the public sector? What are its roles? What are its challenges? What are the essential ingredients for its transformation into a viable entity that can orchestrate development especially in a developing country like Nigeria? We would also examine various attempts at reform in our national history?

In sharing with you my thoughts, let me state that copious references will be made to the Lagos State Government’s agenda for the transformation of its public service. This choice I hope is obvious. Lagos State is indeed Nigeria’s economic nerve centre contributing significantly about the fifth of Nigeria’s GDP.

Since 1999, it has engaged in developing the capacity and capability of the public sector to promptly and concisely deliver first class service to the citizenry. Indeed, there are useful lessons for both national and sub-national governments in Nigeria f rom the efforts of the state.

What is the Public Sector?
Put simply the public sector describes government institutions whether engaged in purely civil service activities or economic activities. It encompasses the Executive Legislature and the Judiciary. Public sector is just simply government and government-sponsored institutions.

By this categorisation it encompasses both the political class in government and career civil servants. The nature of the relationship between the top echelon of the civil service and the political leaders play a critical role in determining the quality of services provided.

However, it is pertinent to observe that the role of government is one that varies depending on the ideological slant of those who wield political power. Today, government plays the role of delivering a wide range of services such as provision of infrastructure, social services apart from its traditional role of maintenance of law and order. It has further been called upon to play the role of a regulator in the relations among business persons or what is referred to as the private sector. So powerful and influential has the public sector become that its role had been a subject of much debate.

The advent of democracy further provides a compelling reason for the expansion of expectation of the people from the public sector. It imposes on the public sector the urgent need to provide copious evidence of service delivery and improvement in the quality of life of citizens.

The quality of public service delivery in Nigeria generally falls short of the expectation of the public. A number of reasons can be adduced for this. They include the long years of military interference along with the issue of expanded responsibilities. Prior to military intervention, the civil service manifested the traits of the British system in which civil service functioned as dutiful professionals who advised ministers and dutifully implemented decisions so made. It was not uncommon in the military era to find top civil servants being described as Super Permanent Secretaries a reflection of the powers and clout they had wielded.

With no clear vision or agenda beyond self serving ones, the military gradually weakened the civil service through ill-advised policies and actions including mass purges/retirements. These erratic policies and actions resulted in many projects programmes that never quite got to be nurtured to fruition – the scepter of abandoned projects. The resultant relationship between the military class and the civil service totally robbed the latter of its capacity to play its traditional role of ‘neutral’ adviser. It rather became an ally who benefited significantly from the rape on public resources that characterised the military era. This effectively eroded the values and ethos of the civil service.

A major issue that arose with the return to civil rule then is the natural unwillingness on the part of the bureaucrats to unlearn the bad behaviour of the military era. This is worsened by a political class that is itself unable to translate party manifestoes into clearly outlined deliverables. In dealing with the need to implement political party manifestoes, there is also a concern by bureaucrats not to be perceived as political rather than neutral.

There is also the issue of government’s incursion into the field of business. In such instances, this broadened role has proved to be way beyond the capacity of the institutions to undertake. The civil servants do not have market skills that are required to efficiently and effectively run business outfits. In some instances businesses set up by government are managed using such bureaucratic rules called GENERAL ORDER; a set of rules best suited to the process of government.

In the process of undertaking its responsibilities the public sector has often been accused of insensitivity, inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Its procedures remained mired in the bureaucratic redtapism that is held sacred by public servants.

For a long while the public sector substantially lagged behind in adopting new thinking and methods. An example is the application of Information, Community Technology (ICT). It could be said that that there is generally about a 10 year gap between the public sector and the private sector in taking advantage of ICT.

Another major challenge hampering the quality of service delivery is the question of corruption. Despite the extensive public resources available to the nation we hardly find a commensurate amount of public goods and services. We need to take a look at some of the reasons that have been proffered for this.

First is that the magnitude of governmental activities and often unclear regulatory regime predisposes to corruption. Nigeria’s value system also plays a significant role in all of these. Apart from unusually high expectation from family members, the society’s index of success is also materially defined. There is in our society copious evidence of ostentatious lifestyle from which public servants are not insulated. There is a further perception that public office is an avenue for enrichment where you find fortunes being experienced on winning elections.

However, I believe the problem besetting service delivery in the public sector is not intractable. At this point I will like to share with you the strategies being adopted in Lagos State.

From 1999, it had become obvious that with the state of things a drastic approach was needed if public confidence in the public service is to be restored. The need was identified to empower and re-orientate the civil service for efficient and effective service delivery while adopting international best practices to eliminate wastages and promote such values as accountability, transparency and good governance.

Let me state categorically that there is a rich reservoir of skills within the civil service that can be deployed in realising the goals of development and unleashing our national potential.