1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
The operation of the modern state requires an
institutional structure that is effective and efficient. The civil service has
been the corner stone and engine for public sector administration.
In the words of Okpala, (2004) civil
service is a body of officials responsible for advising the government of the
day on matters of policy for mutation and implementation of the policies
reached by the government. Due to the over increasing expense of the scope of
governmental involvement in the economy, the cost of managing the public
service has become as enormous, and the benefits enjoyed by the civil servants
has become greatly abused. There is a glaring mismatch between the almost spent
and actual benefit that accrues to the beneficiaries.
As a policy, the government decided
to carry out some economic reforms that are aimed at minimizing, if not
eliminating virtually all known avoidable wastage. One of such reforms
initiated is the monetization of fring benefits in the public service.
The immediate past administration of
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on November II, 2002, set up a committee on the
monetization of the frings benefits in the public service of federation. The
committee was under the chairmanship of Chief UJ Ekaette, the then secretary to
the government reformation agenda of the
government aimed at minimizing waste in the management of public funds of
public office holders.
The government however, stated the
objectives for the introduction of the concept of monetization in the federal
public service which includes, minimizing waste, misuse and abuse of public
facilities. The monetization of frings benefits is intended to boost workers
moral to work.
The proceeds or savings realized
from the reform policy (monetization) will be use for capital project and other
infrastructural development.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Transparency and accountability in public service have
been eroded. Public officers treat public properties with some degree of
recklessness. For instance, the provision of public utilities like, telephones,
water, electricity, transport facilities by government to public servants have
failed to achieve its purposes. There is high waste and abuse of usage of such
facilities thereby resulting to exorbitant bills. The medical services rendered
by the government, as well as the residential accommodations given to public
servants are recklessly handled there are reckless abuse of such facilities
like telephone, water, and electricity.
There are situations whereby public
officers removal fittings whenever they are moved or transferred, singly
because the houses does not belong to them again.
Several regulatory measures were
imposed in the past to eradicate this abuse, yet it yielded no positive result.
In view of the above problems, the questions that attract curiosity and require
investigation are as follows.
1.
What effect does
monetization policy have on the employees productively?
2.
What benefit will
government derive from the policy?
3.
What are the
problems associated with implementation of the policy of monetization?
4.
Why is the
implementation of the monetization policy difficult?
5.
How does the
policy affect productivity in the Ebonyi State Ministry of solid minerals
development?
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
According to federal government, one of the ways
adopted in solving the problems of waste and misuse of public amenities in
public officers possession, is the introduction of policy of monetization into
the federal public service.
The objectives of this study
included the following:-
1.
To ascertain the
effects of monetization policy on the employee’s productivity,
2.
To identify the
benefits of the policy as derivable by the government,
3.
To analyze the
advantages and disadvantages that accrues to the government from this policy,
4.
To identify the
problems associated with implementation of the monetization policy,
5.
To examine the
policy as it affects productivity in the Ebonyi State Ministry of solid mineral
development;
6.
To make
recommendations that may enhance the productivity in the ministry and suggest
ways of amalgamating the problems encountered in the ministry.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The main thrust of the topic is to examine the likely
effects of monetization policy on workers productivity, using Ebonyi State
Ministry of solid minerals development as a case study. In this regard, the
research will be of a valuable significance not only the researcher, but also
to the case study ministry, and in other government and non-government
establishment.
The study and its finding will
contribute significantly to existing literature in the subject area.
The study will equally assist the
ministry to improve or maintain their level of productivity considering the
policy in vogue.
Finally, the significance of this
work to other researchers such as students lecturers and others cannot be
over-emphasized, as researchers who will intend to write on similar topic will
use it as a point of reference for further development of the society at large.
1.5 SCOPE
AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The ministry of solid minerals development,
metamorphosed from the former ministry of commerce and industry in 2003. it is
located at the secretariat complex opposite unity square Abakaliki, Abakaliki
local government of Ebonyi State. The ministry is made up of six departments
with a staff strength of about two hundred and forty (240).
Because the success is achieved
without some hitches, the researcher was not able to cover other ministries
apart from solid minerals development.
Data collected at Ebonyi State
office was without some initial hitches. There was fear of indulging or
divulging of official information. The staff were apprehensive of the exercise
because of the fear of being sacked if it is discovered that they leaked
official information.
There was also difficulty in getting
some vital documents as a result of poor record keeping and carelessness on the
part of staff of the ministry. However, the researcher was able to get useful
data for the analysis of the study, after so much search will the staff and
information gotten one on one from some key officials of the ministry.
1.6 RESEARCHER
HYPOTHESIS
A Hypothesis is a conjectural statement
of relationship between two or more variable, it is a tentative statement which
is open to confirmation or rejection. In the light of this, the hypothesis of
the work are as follows:-
Hi Monetization
policy plays a vital role on workers productivity.
Ho Monetization
policy does not play any role on workers
productivity.
Hi Monetization
policy has affected the productivity of workers
in the ministry of solid minerals development.
1.7 THEORETICAL
FRAME WORK
The usage of wrong or inappropriate theory in a
particular research topic will definitely produce wrong conclusion.
Hence, the researcher adopted cost
benefit analysis (CBA) propounded by J. H Kirt.
This is a technique for analyzing,
policy, programmes and projects. It could be used to determine the most
efficient decision alternative. The technique could be applied either before
undertaken the project or after the project. The purpose is to determine the
usefulness of the project.
It involves the systematic
examination of all the cost of a programme in teen of tangibility and real or
opportunity cost. Possible benefits of a project are enumerated, the impact of
a proposed or actual policy or project are determined or grouped as benefit, or
cost.
Prior to the introduction of the
monetization policy, the federal government operated as policy in which fring
benefits were provided for public servants as it related to residential
accommodation, provision of furniture, utility and domestic servants allowance,
motor vehicle fueling, transport and systematically examining all the cost of
the programme that government discovered enormous wastages and inefficiency as
a result of abuse of those fringe benefits.
This now necessitated the
introduction of monetization policy as a policy with the highest net benefit or
social value of the policy by relating the cost to the benefits cost benefit
analysis as a theory affords the means or tool for measuring in quantitative
and monetary terms, the previous policy of provision of fringe benefit with
view to asserting the cost and benefits of the monetization policy quantifiable
in monetary terms.
This policy quantified in money
terms, those fringe benefit provided for workers as part of their conditions of
service. This was part of reform to reduce the cost of government, eliminate a
major source of waster and leakage while at once helping officers to prepare
for life after retirement through encouragement of saving and investment couture.
The policy of monetization was
introduced in June 2003, while implementation started with political office
holders, including ministers and members of the National Assembly. The policy
was subsequently extended, first to core civil service and is now being
extended to all arms of the public service. So far, owned buildings and
official quarters have either been sold to the occupiers or auctioned to the
general public, with a few reserved, thereby saving enormous maintenance costs.
Also, thousands of drivers, caterers stewards, security guards etc have been disengaged
from government employment, with resultant saving in payroll cost.
No doubt however, that the cost
benefit analysis as a theory provided the policy makers and the government with
a broad view of cost and benefit and also direct attention to the utility of
the project.
1.8 OPERATIONALIZATION
OF KEY CONCEPTS
a. Impact
- A strong impression or effect on
workers in organizational
activities.
b.
Monetization Policy - This is a governmental policy whereby value is given to public
officers in the state and
federal civil service in place of certain amenities enjoyed by them.
c. Workers
Productivity -This means the rate at which an
employee yield output in the organization
d. Fringe
Benefit – It is an additional service or advantage given with job besides the wages.
e. Ministry
- It is a government department that
isresponsible for one of the areas
of government work.
f. Solid
Mineral- A solid substance that is formed naturally
in the earth such as coat, stone,
gold, salt etc.