Bureaucracy and Public Policy Implementation in the Nigerian Public Service: Some Salient Issues

Abstract

Abstract

In every public organization, the bureaucrats are the men and women, employed on the basis of merit and competence; saddled with the responsibilities of not only playing advisory role to the elected politicians but having the statutory mandate to implement policies formulated by the political class. Some salient issues are associated with the recruitment process and performance of bureaucrats. The overall objective of this study therefore, is to investigate the fundamental issues militating against effective and efficient bureaucratization in the Nigerian public service. The study relies on secondary data to achieve its objective. Leveraging on the documentary research methodology, the study reveal among others, that politicization of appointment, political interference, and conflict between the political and administrative class, incompetence and lack of political will largely account for the poor performance and service delivery of the Nigerian bureaucracy. Based on the findings, the study recommends among others that recruitment into the public bureaucracy should be based on merits through practical examination rather than political patronage and connections. Political interference in purely bureaucratic affairs should be discouraged and offenders should be sanctioned.