Federal Character Principle and Its Implication on Manpower Utilization
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the research topic are as follows:
- To examine the extent to which federal character principles is strictly adhered to in the utilization of human potentials at FCDA.
- To determine the duties of the commission in charge of federal character principles.
iii. To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal character principles in the recruitment of needed manpower of FCDA. - To find out provable problems if any in the execution of the federal character principle as applied in this recruitment of manpower of FCDA.
- To examine the implication of federal character principles on recruitment exercises at FCDA.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION
Federal character principle is a highly contested issue in Nigerian polity. As a result it has attracted the attention of many reputable scholars in Nigeria. There is abundant literature on the federal character principle and its implementation in the Nigerian public service covering various perspectives. Many scholars regard it as a tool for nation building and development through elimination of dominance of any particular group and marginalization of other groups, while others see its implementation as defeating the purpose for which it was adopted. The concept of federal character was first popularized under the Murtala/Obasanjo regime (1975 – 1979). It became a constitutional matter in the Constitution Drafting Committee as well as the Constituent Assembly, which were the progenitors of the 1979 constitution. It finally inculcated into the 1979 constitution as a directive principle of state policy (Osaghae, 1988). Gboyega (1989) writes that the: Fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy in the 1979 constitution explains federal character to mean that the composition of the federal government or any of its agencies and the conduct of their affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to recognize the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and to command national loyalty. Accordingly, the predominance in that government or its agencies of persons from a few ethnic or other sectional groups shall be avoided. The above constitutional mandate was made with a view to enhance participation of people from different segments of the Nigerian society in the process of governance (Gboyega, 1989: 177) Afigbo (1989) provides a historical perspective to the understanding of federal character principle. While stating that federal character is directly linked to the character of the Nigerian federation, he highlights the factors that must be noted in order to have a clear understanding of the character of the Nigerian federation: The innate or primordial characteristics of Nigeria’s federal society going back to the days of yore; the quality and performance of the statesmanship which has sought to harness the inborn characteristics of Nigeria’s federal society to a federal constitution; the degree of harmony existing between the primordial features and usages of Nigerian society; the structure and usages of the constitution; and the fact that the character of the Nigerian federation has been rather dynamic in response to the changing perceptions of statesmanship and other relevant forces (Afigbo, 1989: 6). The introduction of federal character principle in Nigeria, was aimed at fostering unity, peace, equal ability, as well as equal access to state resources and to promote the integration of disadvantaged states for better improvement of the living conditions of people living across the country (Ugoh & Ukpere, 2012). It was to take care of some problems in the political process including, ethnicity, the national question, minority problem, discrimination based on indigeneity, resources allocation, power sharing, employment and placement in public institutions, amongst others (Afigbo, 1989). The federal character principle while aiming at ensuring equality amongst the component units had as its very heart the eschewing of all forms of group imbalance in public institutions and affairs (Obiyan & Akindele, 2002). Ezeibe (2013) writes that federal character principle involves a deliberate plan to construct means of ensuring the proper distribution of amenities and government projects in a country. The implication is that it is a policy that was introduced following observed differences in culture, tradition and inequality in human resources as well as the capability to have access to resources. Heirmexy (2011) writes that federal character principle was introduced for equitable sharing of posts and even distribution of natural and economic resources. The federal character principle as an integrative mechanism stands for fair and effective representation of the various components of the federation in the country’s position of power, status and influence. It is to ensure a broad public participation in the nation’s affairs while fostering even development. However, the application of the principle had remained problematic because of the disparity in the standard of western education attained among the states in the federation (Mohammed, 1998). The educationally disadvantaged states expect a lowering of standards in order for them to be accommodated, thereby ensuring equality, this sometimes may involve sacrificing merit in the selection process. Olaopa (2012: 56) writes that the federal character principle has been one of the “effective nation-building strategies invented for managing the combustive diversity in Nigeria, however, it had badly eroded professional and competency capacity of the public service”. It has been argued that in striving to ensure equality for the unequal, federal character principle has become discriminatory. The interpretation of the federal character on the basis of state and ethnicity is regarded by some as inadequate as other social division in Nigeria include class, religion and ideological divisions. Operations of federal character tend to give more powers to the politically dominant groups, creating wider power disparity between the stronger and weaker groups (Ikime, 2002).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought federal character principle and its implication on manpower utilization
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information federal character principle and its implication on manpower utilization. 200 staff of federal capital development authority, Abuja was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain federal character principle and its implication on manpower utilization. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges federal character principle and its implication on manpower utilization
Summary
This study was on federal character principle and its implication on manpower utilization. Five objectives were raised which included: To examine the extent to which federal character principles is strictly adhered to in the utilization of human potentials at FCDA, to determine the duties of the commission in charge of federal character principles, to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal character principles in the recruitment of needed manpower of FCDA, to find out provable problems if any in the execution of the federal character principle as applied in this recruitment of manpower of FCDA, to examine the implication of federal character principles on recruitment exercises at FCDA. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of federal capital development authority, Abuja. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made project managers, economic development program managers, supervisors and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Federal character principle negatively affects appointment into the civil service system in Nigeria, when mediocrity is promoted in the name of quota while meritocracy is put on the back burner. This would ultimately result in low level of administrative efficiency, with consequent truncating of national developmental efforts. The federal character principle which was introduced in Nigeria to redress historical imbalances among the component units of the federation has become the achilles heel of administrative efficiency in the country. It was designed to reduce those factors that would result in mutual distrust by ensuring equality among the states. Federal character is the guiding principle that regulates recruitment into the civil service with the implication that sometimes merit is sacrificed to ensure equality of representation among the states. Though the principle is usually justified from the angle of representativeness of all the thirty six (36) states in Nigeria, adoption of meritocratic approach in recruitment would not adversely affect national integration as other mechanisms for attaining national integration exists in the country. Strategic ministries such as the federal ministry of Education which are at the fulcrum of national development need to be staffed by the most qualified, must skilled, most experienced personnel and not encumbered by non performing staff who have nothing to contribute, but are only recruited to their position to fulfil the principle of federal character. Emphasizing quota over merit will make Nigerian civil service to remain inefficient regardless of the number of reforms that would be carried out
Recommendation
The federal character principle should be applied the way the framers of the policy envisaged. It should give succour to the weak and marginalized, and limit the power of the strong, not to reverse development trend by deliberately putting on hold the progress of the nation through encouragement of mediocrity over merit. There should be a combination of merit and federal character in the appointment of officers into the civil service system as the best personnel are required to achieve the development which Nigeria desires. In order to ensure administrative efficiency in the civil service, only competent and qualified manpower should be engaged and where there are qualified people by merit, then federal character can apply to ensure that no section or state is marginalized. The federal government should ensure that critical infrastructure is provided in all states of the federation to remove the appellation disadvantaged state. The idea of disadvantaged states 55 years after independence is a form of hidden politicization of development which is unhealthy for the nation. The federal government should promote other integrative mechanism while de-emphasizing federal character which had become a divisive tool.
REFERENCES
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- Adamolekun, L. (2008). Let us Debate Federalism. The vanguard Newspaper, March 26, p. 17. Afigbo, A. E. (1989). Federal Character: Its meaning and History. In Ekeh, P. P. & Osaghae, E. E. (eds). Federal Character and Federalism in Nigeria. (pp 3 – 18). Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books.
- Agbodike, C. C. (1998). Federal Character Principles and National Integration. In Amuwo, K. Et al (eds). Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
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- Dye, T.R. (1997) Understanding Public Policy. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
