Government sector simply means the sector purposely established by government at al levels for rendering essential services to the general public. The main motive of the establishment is not channeled for profit making venture but to render essential services to the citizenry. Government sector such as ministries, departments, parastatals, hospital educational institutions, humanitarian agencies etc do not have profit as their main purpose for existing. This does not mean that they cannot or do not operate at profit, their main reason for existing is to provide services for which they are established. Government sector is made up civil servants and public servants.
Civil
service: is a component public bureaucracy or service in which Ibe noon
military workers, employees are engaged through competitive examination. The
appointment basis subject to good conduct during Ibe years of service. Civil
service is a place where great body of men and women translate laws into
action within local government state and
the entire country. The are employed in the government civil service and the
works in the minister parastatals of the
government.
Public service is different form
civil service because public service embraces the civil service and other
parastatals. Commissions and agencies of the government which help for proper
provision of goods and services to the people. A public servant is a person
employed in the public sector of the economy. The employ of civil service in
Nigeria was laid by Lord Lugard as Governor Clifford who succeeded him in 1921
put the civil service into action by building a central secretariat in Lagos.
The Nigeria civil service is modeled on the British civil service which set up
service during colonial days. Private sector means a process which involves the
efforts of an individual in identifying viable opportunities in a business
environment and obtaining and managing
the private sector, the proprietor(s0 take all the projects and bears all the
losses as the case may be. They have absolute control of their businesses.
Private company can be formed by not less than two but the maximum must not
exceed fifty, excluding past and present employees of the company. A
shareholder in the private company is not permitted to transfer his shares
without the consent of the company.
ARGUMENT FOR
Because
government sector as discussed above is being owned by the government, either
the local state or federal government and because natural resources of the
“country” is always managed mostly and controlled by the government, the people
working in the government sector earn more than those working in the private
sector .
Job
security: Since
government is owned by everybody i.e all citizens of that country, all that
concerns her citizens are being followed in due process including dismissal of
a public or civil servant in the local
government area state or federal levels of the government unlike the private
sector that is owned by one or group of person who have every right to dismiss
any of their workers with our normal due process.
Flexibility
and low monitory: Since
government is a sector that involves every body and are not profit oriented,
they are always flexible in supervising their workers and use to allow the
workers to contribute to their affairs as in Human relation movement by Mary
parker Foller (1960). He said that when workers
are allowed to participate in affair that concerns them, they fel hag.
It gives them the since of belonging and will lead to increase productivity.
Unlike the private sector that mostly inspect their workers believing in
managerial theories by Tylor (1900-1935) which said that workers should be
manipulated to increase productivity.
No
risk of business closure:
Civil service is a component of
public bureaucracy or service which the non-military worker are employed in
government services to work in any ministry or department of the government.
They ensures the continuity of the government in any ministry or department of
the government. They ensures the continuity of the body can ment in any country
and government as a body can not close instead it can change so the workers
under it have no fear of business closure unlike the private sectors that can
close due to poor management or natural disaster just because they have limited
resources.
Government on retirement of pays
pension and gratitude to their workers
while private sectors pay only gratuity and government is non profit making
body their aim is to service and better the lot of their citizens while private
enterprise motive is to satisfy their consumers and then make the highest
profit.
ARGUMENT AGAINST
Low
payment: Since a private sector is an
enterprise owned by one or group of persons, it always come in small or large
scale enterprise. They always have the problem of insufficient fund either to
start the business or for expansion so the small scale business operators will
liker employee unskilled workers mostly their relatives.
No job security: since private
sector is owned by one or group of persons the owner has the right to demise
any of his workers without a normal due process.
The owner of the business which is
always the manager, closely monitors his business ensure increase in
productivity.
Risk of business closure: Death of
an active member or the owner of the business can lead to the closure of
Profit making motive: Since their
motive is always to make profit, they like manipulating their workers to
achieve their goal.
Corruption and embezzlement of fund
is very common in the government sector unlike the private sector that is
always monitored closely by the owner or the manager of the enterprise.
Argument
for
Government
sectors are the sectors built, owned and managed by the government.
Government sectors are established
because of the following reasons.
1. They provide essential services to the
people. These services are very vital for stable and smooth running of
government.
2. Protection of the members of the public
form exploitation in the hands of some greedy private businessmen. Some
services like water and light are so essential for human survival that if
private individuals are allowed to provide them on behalf of the government
members of the public would heavily be exploited.
3. National security survival and economic
stability. Government sector is used to organize certain critical activities
essential for national security, survival and economic stability e.g arms,
Banking, broadcasting, international air transport etc.
4. The initial capital required for
building some corporations like airways are no high that no private sector or
businessman can afford it, even with a loan.
FEATURE OF GOVERNMENT SECTOR
i. It is a legal entity which can sue and
be soled
ii. It determines the conditions of service
for its employees
iii. Only
those who make use of the services provided by the public corporation pay for
it.
iv. Government
sector ensures equitable distribution of wealth and services in a country.
ARGUMENT
AGAINST
1. Corruption
and embezzlement of fund is very common in the government sector unlike the
private sector that is always monitored closely.
2. Ethnicity
and tribalism in the recruitment, appointment, promotion and discipline of the
staff.
3. Shortage
of qualified staff and poor management in the government sector.
4. Government
sector most often is set up a monopolies thereby denying the consumers of the
services and opportunity for choice.
5. Jealously
hatred and unhealthy rivalry among the ranks and files of staff in the
government sector.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
Base
on the points above government sector is created by the three tiers of
government in order to render essential to the general public government sector
is no channeled for profit making venture but to render essential services.
Staff on employed in the government enjoy better conditions of service such as
job security, protection of the members of the public form exploitation and so
on more than those in the private sector for instance those in the private
sector take all the profits and bear all the losses as the. They are also having
absolute control of their businesses.
RECOMMENDATION
Since it is more profitable to gain
employment in government sector than private sector I hereby make the following
recommendations.
1. Government at all levels should improve
on the provision of essentials services to the people working in the government
sector.
2. Government should make appropriate law
guarantee job security to the citizenry particularly those working in the
government sector. This will go along way making them know the dos and don’ts
of government sector.
4. More job opportunities should be
created to accommodate unemployed and able bodied youth in society.
REFERENCES
Mbanefo, C.A.O (1995) Introduction to business
management pg 8-9
Igwe, B.N. (2005) Public Sector Accounting
Ani, Wilson Uchenna (1988) government and publish
sector accounting “(A professional approach) Immaculate publication ltd, no 2
Aku Street, Ogui New layout Enugu pg. 95-107.
Nwankwo, B.C. (1990) Authority in government pg
151-153.