GOVERNMENT’S POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999

 (A Study of National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS))

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

Public policy making and implementation is a very critical area that both government and non-governmental organizations are at divergent opinions in the process of making and implementing such programmes and activities. Public policy itself refers to all authorized means devised by government in order to achieve its stated goals and objectives.

Policy implementation has been described as one major problem confronting developing countries. According to Abah (2010) policy comprises political decisions for implementing programs to achieve societal goals. The implementation problem in developing countries is the problem of a widening gap between policy intentions and outcomes. Implementation gap manifests in the widening of the distance between stated policy goals and the realization of such planned goals. The implementation gap from policy formulation in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized as successive governments make policies that are not realizable throughout their tenure.

Public policy is a familiar concept used on a daily basis by virtually everybody; but owing to the diversity of circumstances in which the term is applied, coupled with the fact that human beings by nature vary in their perceptions of things, there is a variety of meanings attached to the concept. Nonetheless, there is still a common reference point by all users of the concept from various disciplines. It is used mainly in reference to what government does in order to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry. This could be in the form of actions taken in the course of distributing, regulating and redistributing resources in the society. However, these actions do not necessarily have to emanate exclusively from the government, as the citizenry can initiate them as well. Nevertheless, these people’s initiatives would have to be acted upon by the government before such actions could appropriately be labeled as public policy (Ezeani, 2006).

According to Ozor (2004) policy is central to the operation and activities of both private organizations and public institutions. A policy option made by an individual or private institution is known as private policy while the one made by government or its institutions is called public policy. However, the term policy as it is used in this work refers to only the ones made by government and which are, as such, regarded as public policies. Generally, scholars have viewed the term policy differently and from various perspectives. Some emphasize policy as an action. Others see it as choice. Yet, some see it in terms of scope of action (Ikelegbe, 2006). In other words, the way a given scholar conceptualizes a policy depends on the perspective from which the scholar is viewing it and this accounts for the varied definition of the concept. For instance, in the view of Egonwan (1991), it is a governmental programme of action, while to Abdulsalami (in Yakubu & Obasi, 1998), a policy refers to hard patterns of resource allocation represented by projects and programmes designed to respond to perceived public problems or challenges requiring government action for their solution. To Ezeani (2006), it is the proposed course of action which government intends to implement in respect of a given problem or situation confronting it.

Ikelegbe (2006), in a more elaborate form, defines policy thus; it is the integrated course and programmes of action that government has set and the framework or guide it has designed to direct action and practices in certain problem area. In essence, a policy is a course setting action that provides the direction, the guide and the way to the achievement of certain goals or objectives desired by government.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

Nigeria is endowed with material and human resources, but it is the formulation of wrong policies at the right time and discriminative funding of some policies that has led to the problem of inadequate resources. This is because when most public policies are formulated, adequate provision of resources is not made to implement them.

Samson and Stanley (2014) stressed that there are various problems facing developing nations in terms of implementing policies. Apart from discussing the general overview of policy implementation problems in both developed and developing nations, Samson and Stanley’s focus was on Nigeria, with a number of examples taken from the Nigerian experience. He cited the Better Life Programme and Family Support Programme embarked on by Nigeria’s successive governments since independence. Some implementation problems identified in his study included corruption, lack of continuity in government policies, and inadequate human and material resources, all of which often led to an implementation gap—that is, a widening distance between the stated policy goals and the realization of such planned goals.

Corruption affects the content and quality of policy at formulation stage, public office holders make policies based on their selfish interest and sometimes only to attract public attention. Most policy goals in Nigeria are based on the personal rewards and interests of the political leaders and their godfathers with the result that a policy is judged more on its political merits than with the real developmental gain.

Too many points of agenda – from the incept of assumption of office, most political leaders ditch out too many agenda that lack focus and technical knowhow , most often they use it to buy time and while blowing political ruckus on air deceiving the masses that they are working.

1.3       Aim and Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to examine Government’s Policy Implementation in Nigeria Since 1999. The following are the specific objectives:

1. To examine the effect of Government’s Policy Implementation and Development Strategy in Lagos State.
2. To find out if the Government’s Policy Implementation make available recruitment for the workforce in Nigeria.
3. To find out the factors that enhance Government’s Policy implementation as stipulated in the document of Lagos State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy.
4. To examine the extent to which Government’ s Policy Implementation in Lagos State been effective in line with the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy.

1.4       Research Questions

1. To what extent will Government’s Policy implementation affect Development Strategy in Lagos State?
2. How will Government’s Policy implementation make available recruitment for the workforce in Nigeria?
3. What are factors that enhance Government’s Policy implementation as stipulated in the document of Lagos State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy?
4. To what extent will Government’s Policy Implementation affect National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy?

1.5       Research Hypotheses

The following Hypotheses were formulated for the study:

H_o: There is no significant relationship between Government’s Policy implementation and Economic Empowerment & Development Strategy.

H₁: There is significant relationship between Government’s Policy implementation and Economic Empowerment & Development Strategy.

1.6       Scope of the Study

The study examines Government’s Policy Implementation in Nigeria Since 1999 with special reference National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). It examines youth empowerment programs in the post 1999 democratic era.

1.7       Significance of the Study

The significant of this research work are enormous. First, the work addresses one of the key issues of contemporary Nigeria. It touches areas that affect the conduct of Government’s Policy Implementation in Nigerian polity which is the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). Hence, the study is of benefit to students of international relations, politics, development studies, history, and even those in the social sciences.

Secondly, this study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge in Government’s Policy Implementation as it looks at the concept from a different angle.

Thirdly, this study will aid other researchers who might want to carry out research in related areas.

1.8       Definition of Terms

Government Policy: A government policy statement is a declaration of a government’s political activities, plans and intentions relating to a concrete cause or, at the assumption of office, an entire legislative session. In certain countries they are announced by the head of government or a minister of the parliament.

Empowerment: Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, or economic strength of individuals and communities. It often involves the empowered developing confidence in their own capacities.

Youth Empowerment: Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives

Non-Governmental Organizations: A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government and a term usually used by governments to refer to entities that have no government status.

National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS): revolves around the idea of empowerment across a broad spectrum of the Nigerian people. NEEDS empowers through job creation, opportunities for employment and wealth creation and promoting private enterprise”.

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