Public Administration, Governance and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper seeks to assess and analyze how public administration and governance promote socio-economic development in Nigeria. Balogun (1983) defined public administration to mean the Marshalling of human and material resources in order to achieve the set goals and objectives of public policy. It is through public administration and good governance that needs and aspiration of the people can be met in order to improving living standard and well-being of the populace. Good governance therefore, creates enabling environment for socio-economic development to strive. The adoption of elite model aided in expatiating policy making process which reflects the values of the governing elite as against the values of the masses. However, it was noticed that corruption and inconsistencies in government programmes grossly affected socio-economic development from past to present governments. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to examine how public administration and governance can translate into or bring about sustained socio-economic development in Nigeria. Nevertheless, descriptive method was found appropriate for this paper. In conclusion, it was found out that since 1960 till date, social investment programmes initiated by past and present government failed to achieve its objectives of improving people’s standard of living, reduce poverty, creates employment opportunities and economic inequalities due to high leveled corruption, lack of accountability, politicization, elites influence, inconsistency in government programmes and political instability among others. It was recommended that; government should pay more attention to human capital development as a factor that drives any socio-economic development processes. However, corrupt practices at all strata should be diminished because corruption is anti-development.