AN ANALYSIS OF THE 1988 CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS IN NIGERIA AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CIVIL/PUBLIC SERVICE

Abstract

The article took a cursory look at the 1988 civil service reforms in Nigeria, the objectives, key highlights, the positive sides and the damage it did to the Nigeria civil service were analyzed. The reform came into being by the promulgation of decree No 43 of 1988; implementation commenced in April 1988. Adamu Fika, the then head of civil service of the federation and indeed many of the permanent secretaries at that time were opposed to many aspects of the reform. Adamu Fika who was a member of the
implementation committee, wrote a minority report to the president, but the federal military government was bent on implementing the reform, Adam Fika had to resign and retire from the civil service. The position of head of civil service was abolished, the position of permanent secretary was redesignated as Director General and became a political appointment. The civil service commission was stripped of many of its functions and given to the ministries. Ministries were to have a uniform structure of eight (8) departments. It was concluded that the reform did more damage than good to civil service as the civil service became more corrupt and highly politicized , seniority, dedication to duty , hard work, merit etc were eroded. A largely home grown civil service reform was recommended, in which the commission members and implementation committee members should be experts/ insiders and cutting across many strata of public service.