EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION ON POLITICAL STABILITY IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF AJEROMI L.G.A OF LAGOS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria has long been a case of interest for the study of political and economic development. The country is a great example of a post-colonial developing nation and its developmental history contains very important lessons on the political and economic retardation of the developing world.

Modern strategic thoughts in public administration otherwise known as New Public Management emphasize the use of networks, partnerships, collaborations and very many other terms that underscore governance as an external engagement rather than an internal process of organizations.

This new model involves public organizations collaborating with stakeholders in joint decision-making procedures in a consensus-oriented, formal and premeditated way (Berkett, Challenger, Sinner, & Tadaki, 2013). Contemporary governance is described as fundamentally social-political and it’s seen as relatively continuous procedures of relations between societal actors, forces, groups and public authorities, organizations or institutions.

Interaction is key and is recognized as a sequence of co-arrangements amongst non-state and state actors, more concerned towards collaborative tactics to problem-solving. In such models, the communication of knowledge and information and its valuation by means of those involved act a vital role; and negotiation instead of directives has turn out to be an alternative mechanism of handing the ambiguity and complexity problems which are political and social.

Issues like inequality, poverty, absence of rural development and unemployment can be attributed to a combination of economic, political and social forces, which are internal, and external, which likely limit economic, political and social development. Development administration is therefore recognized as a strategic factor for successful economic and social development.

It can influence and determine the success of any development plan and also susceptible to deliberate social control and change. The inadequacy of development administration in numerous developing nations is now acknowledged as a foremost hindrance to development, perhaps a more serious impediment than the dearth of capital for infrastructure projects or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

It is against this backdrop that Herbert Emmerich a renowned Public Administrator estimates that eighty (80) per cent of development plans worldwide are incapable of being fulfilled due to an administrative lacuna (Adah & Abasilim, 2015). Development Administration is about projects, programs, policies and ideas that are focused on nation-building, with the viewpoint that socio-economic and socio-political development of a society should be undertaken by talented and skilled bureaucrats (Ibietan, 2014).

Harry Friedman defines development administration as a means of program implementation for socioeconomic progress; effective monitoring of the nation-building process; and administrative modifications to keep the establishment updated.

Edward Weidner a development administrator defines development administration as the course of guiding a firm on the way to the accomplishment of progressive political, economic and social objectives, which are authoritatively determined in one manner or the other (Makinde, 2014).

Political stability is a major concern in third world countries where development is still at an infant stage, this problem continues to resurface in one way or the other in form of different crises which affects the country negatively.

The desire for every government is to govern in such a way that it promotes Political stability which is an important pre-condition to development, Good adminstration is therefore a demonstration of this desire and it is geared towards political stability for public purposes.

Political stability is one way through which the government maintains and perpetuates itself, this means every area of the system remains balanced in such a way that the government is able to ensure peace and maintain security at all times. Major states in the world are built and founded based on political stability as no government can truly govern a state unless it is stable to a certain extent.

One major way if not the major way of ensuring political stability is through good governance as no state can develop in all aspects without stability to ensure for smooth running of the government, having a good development administration is a critical condition to ensuring Political Stability because it reduces state fragility and ensures Political Stability.

Satiso (2001) identified some core components highlighted in the working definition of development administration- promoting participation, Democratic governance, enhancing rule of law, strengthening accountability, specific economic and political policies, programs and institutions.

Recent years have seen Inter ethnic violence, mutinies, corruption and tribal, cultural, social, political problems increase with consecutive governments in Nigeria, this is due to the failure of the government to ensure adequate governance in order to mitigate these vices by setting up appropriate institutions and values to address this problem.

This has lead to retardation in development and political instability which does not give room for sustainable development and has severely affected the country negatively. According to Spiro Political stability has to do with equilibrium, a political equilibrium which leaves room for movement- a dynamic equilibrium where there is stability in direction, purpose, goals and aims towards which the political equilibrium is moving.

In terms of violence both organized police/military violence and less organized mob violence, in terms of being moved and motivated by ideologies other than rigid doctrines, more creative attitude towards law, how the political class have been flexible and adaptable than their area counterpart in terms of corruption; careful enough not to let leadership style promote political stability. He also mentions 4 types of political stability being reported in African states;

1. Constitutional change towards setting up one party state

2. Sporadic violence including political assassinations

3. Mutinies and organized coups

4. Inter tribal conflict

Systems of governance affect the performance of a state in being politically stable enough to execute its core functions, good governance is important as a determinant to sustainability and strength of democracies.

Good governance depends on an ability to make good decisions over time, across a spectrum of economic, social, environmental, and other areas. This is linked with the government’s capacity for knowledge, mediation, resource allocation, implementation and maintenance of key relationships.

Good governance is defined with the following key factors- Technical and managerial competence, Organizational capability, Reliability, predictability and the rule of law, Accountability, Transparency and open information systems, participation According to the world wide governance indicators Good Governance includes Voice and accountability, Political stability and absence of violence, Government effectiveness, Regulatory quality, Rule of law, Control of corruption.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The instability of government, a weak political culture and inefficiency of political parties causes a politically instable state. Political instability has become a serious problem especially for the developing and underdeveloped countries. This problem is associated with a series of problems in various fields.

The problem of political instability generates more serious for a society which is multi ethnic, having people of diverse cultural attributes. Peace, security and stability are basic prerequisite for a workable society, hence for development (SAF, 2014) especially as major plans are woven around the stability of the country and the government is able to work towards achieving the needs of the people.

For Nigerian citizens, the immediate past and present administration has proven disappointing in all major ramifications of governance in terms of ensuring security, dousing ethnic and religious violence, corruption, ensuring rule of law etc with an emphasis on insurgencies that rocked the nation’s stability despite the millions of Naira which was consistently been pumped into the Boko Haram crisis, there was no reflection of it in the stability of Nigeria.

The recent administration in Nigeria thus calls for an analysis and assessment based on Political stability in an ethnically divided society like Nigeria. Development administration must be able to adopt itself to the changing circumstances for it to be a mechanism of development process.

One of the most important components of development administration is the administrative strategies and yet it is itself one of the resources that is highly needed in the developing countries like Nigeria and even in the social transformation of the society, administrative strategy or capability has much to contribute.

Development as a concept of economic and social indicators covers other areas as improvement of human resources and positive change in their behaviour, indeed development includes increase in citizen access to water and shelter, information and means of communication and quality health care delivery.

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine the effect of development administration on political stability in Nigeria. Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To examine the nature of the Nigerian government.

2. To examine ways Nigeria can make changes in governance to improve political stability.

3. To examine the effect of development administration on political stability in Nigeria.

4. To examine the challenges preventing Nigerian public administration from playing its catalyzing role in the development of the country

5. To examine the relationship between development administration and political stability.

6. To proffer possible solutions to challenges preventing good development administration in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How is the nature of the Nigerian government?

2. What are the ways Nigeria can make changes in governance to improve political stability?

3. What are the effects of development administration on political stability in Nigeria?

4. What are the challenges preventing Nigerian public administration from playing its catalyzing role in the development of the country?

5. What is the relationship between development administration and political stability?

6. What are the possible solutions to challenges preventing good development administration in Nigeria?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis 1

1. There is no significant effect of development administration on political stability in Nigeria.
2. There is a significant effect of development administration on political stability in Nigeria.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between development administration and political stability

H1: There is a significant relationship between development administration and political stability.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The most significance aspect of this study is to bring to the fore the risks, opportunities and benefits inherent in development administration and how Nigeria can exploit the opportunities to bring about political stability and invariably economic stability by urgently addressing the issues of poverty unemployment, corruption, inequality, infrastructural decay and more involvement of the state in the economy due to the undiversified nature of Nigerian economy.

Also, the finding and recommendations of the study will be of theoretical importance to policy makers, administrators and opinion makers in Nigeria.  Thus this study will help the Nigerian government and students in further research.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on the effect of development administration on political stability in Nigeria, a case study of Ajeromi L.G.A of Lagos state.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Political:  Relating to government, or the conduct of government, concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of governmental policy.

Governance: Government and governance are interchangeably used, both denoting the exercise of authority in an organization, institution or state. Government is the name given to the entity.

Political Stability: Relative orderliness within a political system with a correspondent positive economic impact on the citizens.

Economy: This refers to the interaction between production, trade and supply of money in Nigeria.

Democracy: This represents a popularly and constitutionally elected civilian government, which represent the will of the majority and diligently upholds the principles of rule of law and fundamental human right.