CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The problem of human resource development and productivity in the

Nigerian Civil Service has become very severe such that the civil service is
at the point of collapse due to challenges of civil service delivery, over
centralization amongst others. To Collins and Chan (2019), in addition to
fixing many such other key problems of development, Nigeria state has an
urgent problem of disposing her workforce to cope with the demands of the
society.

The origin, structure and performance of the civil service dates back to the
20th century, with the introduction of the British colonial rule in Nigeria. By
1990, a decentralized colonial service with headquarters in each of the
protectorate was established. By 1904, the colony of Lagos state was
amalgamated with the protectorate of Southern Nigeria. This was followed
by the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorate in 1914
bringing into existence a country called Nigeria.

By 1914, there were two civil services in the two Nigeria’s (Northern and
Southern) headed by a Governor-general in the person of Lord Lugard and
two lieutenant Governors each for the North and South respectively, while
an administrator was in charge of Lagos. The British imposed a unified civil
service in Nigeria, which was mainly concerned with the maintenance of law
and order and the mobilization of enough local resources in order to ensure
their administration was self sufficient.

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The nationalist agitation for independence brought about the introduction of
the Nigerianization policy. The essence of this policy was to make Nigerian
civil service entirely staffed, managed and controlled by Nigerians
themselves (Omotosho, 2001). To Okunade(1990), the civil servants that
occupied positions were unprepared. They lacked the necessary training
initiative and administrative acumen.

Consequently, the level of productivity in the civil service waned

dangerously. Also, Nicolson (1969) noted that Nigerians administrative
legacy was one of chaos rather than order and tidiness. There was excessive
centralization and absence of delegation. Above all, civil servants for the
first two decades after independence were corrupt, inefficient and
unproductive.

In the face of this alarming decrease in productivity in the civil service,

several steps have been taken by successive Nigerian government to
strategically position and reposition human resource administration in the
country. Such steps include but are not limited to the setting up of the
various commissions for reforming the civil service including the Morgan
constitution of 1963, Adebo commission of 1971, Udoji commission of 1974
amongst others.

Abubakar (2019) opined that; Human resource development is the sin-quo-

non for the attainment of efficiency and effectiveness which are the two
major goals/objectives of a good civil service.

The implication is that, the government of the Nigeria civil service before
1994 had been very low. Therefore, utmost need was for qualified and
motivated staff at the right place and at the right time to achieve the

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 objectives to transfer paper plan into actual achievement of all aspect of
personal management.

The current administration has not done much to improve on what Obasanjo
did during his time, except the eighteen thousand naira minimum wage for
civil servants which has not yet been adopted by most states in Nigeria.
Moreover, the civil service is still considered stagnant and inefficient as the
attempts made in the past have had little effect on the promotion of
sustainable human resource development and productivity in the civil
service.

This study therefore attempts to assess the impact of human resource

development on productivity in the Nigerian Civil Service using the
Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission as a point of appraisal.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

At independence in 1960, so many British officials were replaced with

Nigerians but in spite of this, the colonial method of doing things was still
predominant in the civil service.

In order words, the whites were replaced by Nigerians, yet the West-
Minister-patterned general orders and financial institutions remained the
operational codes in the Nigerian civil service.

The emergent civil servants were inexperienced consequent upon the

indigenization policy as most of them occupied positions that their abilities
and capabilities in terms of experience, training and qualification cannot
cope with.

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 Thus, the quest to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil
service has always occupied the attention of successive governments. This is
because the civil service is the brain box of the modern governments yet the
civil service in Nigeria has been characterized by poor performance and
inability to translate government policies and programs to reality. Beginning
from the period of indigenization of the civil service in 1960’s many things
went wrong.

Even in situations where the need for employee training and development is
needed and a lot of time and money is committed to staff training and
development, the exercise were often inappropriate, haphazard or premised
on a faulty diagnosis of organizational training needs.

In other situations were training happened to occur, civil servants are

deployed without regard to the skill acquired leading to frustration of
personnel so trained and also general inefficiency in the system.

In Nigerian civil service, the workers are generally under-trapped,

underutilized, poorly motivated and consequently perform low below their
standard to ensure effective productivity.

It is against this background that this work seeks to examine the impact of
human resource development and productivity in the Nigerian Civil Service
with particular reference to Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The broad objective of this study is to examine the basic challenges facing
human resource development and productivity in Nasarawa State Civil
Service Commission.

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 Specifically however, the study aims at the following:-

i. To establish the link between human resource development and

productivity.
ii. To ascertain if corruption is an impediment to human resource
development in the Nigerian Civil Service.
iii. To determine if merit-based recruitment, selection and regular staff
training can engender productivity in the Nasarawa State Civil Service.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions were considered to be useful in guiding the

study;

i. Is there any link between human resource development and productivity

in the civil service?
ii. Is corruption an impediment to human resource development in the
Nigerian civil service?
iii. Can merit-based recruitment, selection and regular staff training
engender productivity in the Nasarawa State Civil Service?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study is significant from the point of view that no available literature or
study so far has specifically focused on human resource development and
productivity in Nasarawa State Civil Service, none has examined the extent
to which the civil service as an agent of government has contributed to the
development and training of civil servants in Nasarawa State.

Thus, it is going to add to existing body of literature and extend the frontiers
of knowledge practically. This research work will be a guide to scholars,

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 policy makers, policy implementers and researchers and evidently serve as a
guide to the government on how to promote effective human resource
development and productivity in the civil service particularly Nasarawa
State civil service.

1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The scope of the study will be limited to the impact and effect of human
resource development and productivity in the Nigerian Civil Service as it
poses a threat to Nasarawa State and Nigeria as a whole.

Thus, it will focus on all efforts of government to increase human resources

development and productivity in Nasarawa State civil service.

Other limitations are time and availability of accurate information to carry

out the research work. The time frame was short and could not be enough for
the effective research work as expected. Some members of the organizations
were scared of giving out some information as personal reasons known to
them.

1.7 Definition of Key Terms

Human Resources: Human resources are the people who make up the
workforce of an organization, business sector, or economy. "Human capital"
is sometimes used synonymously with "human resources", although human
capital typically refers to a narrower view (i.e., the knowledge the
individuals embody and economic growth).

Development: The process in which someone or something grows or

changes and becomes more advanced.

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Productivity: The quality, state, or fact of being able to generate, create,
enhance, or bring forth goods and services. A measure of the efficiency of a
person, machine, factory, system, etc., in converting inputs into useful
outputs. Productivity is computed by dividing average output per period by
the total costs incurred or resources (capital, energy, material, personnel)
consumed in that period.

Staff: A group of persons, as employees, charged with carrying out the work
of an establishment or executing some undertaking.

Civil Service: Is a collective term for a sector of government composed

mainly of career bureaucrats hired on professional merit rather than
appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions
of political leadership.

Civil Service Commission: Is a government agency that is constituted by

legislature to regulate the employment and working conditions of civil
servants, oversee hiring and promotions, and promote the values of the
public service.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Introduction

This chapter presents and reviews the relevant literature that has been
documented by various scholars and authors in the area of the study. The
literature was reviewed in accordance with the major themes of the study as
identified in the specific objectives.

2.2 Review of Related Literature

Human resource training and development improves employees’ abilities to

perform the task required by an organization. It according to Graham (2018)
has the important dual function of utilization and motivation. By improving
employees ability to perform the task required by the company training;
Allows better use to be made of human resources, by giving employees a
feeling of mastery over their work and of recognition by management, which
increases job satisfaction in workers.

Furthermore, organizations have a stake in developing the careers of their

employees so that the employees can be retained while their performance
becomes more effective and efficient. Walker (2009) for example opined
that in the 1990’s and beyond, organizations will invest more, not less in
efforts to retain, train and develop talents.

According to Simon (2017) administrative efficiency is increased by a

specialization of the task among the group in the direction that will lead to
greater efficiency. The position adopted by Du-Santoy (2015) is instructive
on the significance.

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Akpomouvire (2012) contends that for human resource training and
development to achieve its goals of being the planed process of modifying
attitudes, knowledge and skills through learning and experience, to achieve
effective performance in an activity or range of activities so as to satisfy the
current and future needs of an organization or government, three broad
perspective are to be considered. They are:

i. Human resource training and development

ii. Training, development and professionalization in the civil service and
iii. Administrative reforms.

Human resource training and development in its myriad forms is provided to

help employees learn job-related skills and obtain knowledge that will help
them improve their performance and further the organizations goals. From a
more concise source, human resource development can be termed to be a;
Planned process to modify attitudes, skills or behavior through learning
experience to achieve effective performance in an activity or range of
activities. Its purpose in a work situation is to develop the abilities of the
individuals and to satisfy the current and future needs of the organization
(Foot and Hook, 2019).

To Griffin (2014), in order to postulate the disposition and capacity building

of the various employees of government, a good human resource
management and development must be in place. He went further to say that
human resource development involves taking various resources an
organization has at its disposal and combining them in such a way that the
organizations goals are attained. He explained that by efficient, he meant
that doing things in a systematic fashion without waste.

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To Noe et al. (2003) a number of skills are instilled in employees through
training and development. Development involves acquisition knowledge,
skills and behavior that improve employees ability to meet the challenges of
a variety of existing jobs or job that do not yet exist.

To Barney (1995) quoted in Onah (2008) Human resource development

include all the experience, skills, judgment, abilities, knowledge, risk-taking,
and wisdom of individuals and associates in an organization.

Omale (2019) observed that in almost all senior positions, if one is recruited
with required educational qualification, no training and development was
carried out on him. Experience on the job becomes the only criteria for the
worker to reach the top of his career ladder. Yet, the job an officer does from
one grade level to the other according to Omale are:

Sufficiently different to warrant not only vocational knowledge which he

gets via experience, but also theoretical knowledge and attitude re-
orientation in order to successfully cope with the demands of such higher
jobs. Such theoretical knowledge and attitudinal re-orientation can only
best be acquired through formal training off the job in appropriate training
institution.

In his own view, Makinde (2009) is of the opinion that human resources
training is a short-term process of learning specific skills by both junior and
intermediate staff, while development entails a long term learning process
designed to develop senior officers in order to activate them with changes in
technology and management method.

Human resource training and development equips workers with the

necessary skills to enable them to gain promotion and have a reasonable
10
expectation of redeployment. To this end, Adamolekun (2018) made a
strong case for a positive conception of the civil service that would be able
to carry out the contractual obligation between government and the governed
whereby services would be seen to be provided efficiently and the system
would run on smooth wheels. This position is reflected in the revised
guidelines for training in the federal civil service (1995) where it is
unequivocally stated that government continues to accept the need and
wisdom to use training as a vehicle for enhancing productivity and
efficiency in the service.

The primary purpose of human resource training and development

underscores the driving activities according to Chrudeen and Sherman
(2017) and Ubeku (2015), is to develop employees who are made to acquire
relevant skills, knowledge and job attitudes are put into more definitive use
so as to bring about effective performance.

Human resource training and development according to Nadler (2009)

prepares the employee so that he can move with the organization as it
develops and grows, resulting in new jobs for the employees of higher level.

The overall purpose being to produce a viable and flexible workforce for the
organization as it moves towards its future. However, according to
Bienvennu (2018), what is to be understood is that training and development
prepares a worker to improve on his ability beyond the job in which he is
currently engaged. The worker is prepared for a place in the organization for
the sake of the future and in the case of eventualities. Bienvennu refers to
this as shift of effort from job training to work training.

11
2.3 The Concept of Human Resource Development

Enhancing the quality of an organization’s human resources involves many

activities. After the employee has been recruited, selected and inducted,
he/she must next be developed to better fit the job and the organization. This
is because no one is a perfect fit at the time of hiring; they must be trained to
perform their jobs. Current employees must regularly have their skills
updated and must learn new skills. Developing employee skills is thus, a key
managerial responsibility as no organization has a choice of whether to
develop employees or not. The only choice is that of method.

According to Nwachukwu (2018) human resource development deals with

the activities undertaken to expose an employee to perform additional duties
and assume position of importance in the organizational hierarchy. It
involves the long term systematic educational or organizational process and
procedure by which employees gain more conception and practical
knowledge about his work place.

Accordingly, human resource development can be conceptualized as

organized learning activities arranged within an organization in order to
improve performance and or personal growth for the purpose of improving
the job, the individual and or the organization (Nwachukwu, 2018). This is
hinged on the realization that the achievement of the objectives of any
organization is possible when and only if human resources are empowered
through training and development so that they can be more strategic,
creative and innovative. In line with this, Loken (2019) asserts that human
resource development in any sector of the economy has one purpose or goal
which is that of improving the effectiveness of those manning the machinery
of.
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 The implication of this is that of actual concern to any organization is that of
optimizing personnel use to the extent that inefficiencies can be removed,
skills improved and applied judiciously so that, the performance of the
organization is guaranteed and sustained.

To Onah (2003), human resource development implies growth and the

acquisition of wide experience for future strategic advantage of the
organization. It should however, he noted that human resource development
should not be seen only as a strategy to achieve organizational goal, but as a
responsibility to employees.

Adamolekun (2011) believes that human resource development refers to

both the training and the education of an organization’s staff as well as the
overall career development of each staff member.

According to Flippo (2008), human resource development would include

both training to increase skills in performing a specific job and education to
increase general knowledge and understanding of the total environment.
Human resource development (Manpower development) explicitly involves
staff training and development.

2.4 Human Resource Development and Productivity in the Nigerian Civil

Service Commission

Today, the civil service has come to been seen as a complex organization
and a modern institution baguetted to mankind in the process of
revolutionizing an efficient way of organizing any large human organization.
It is in this respect that the civil service is defined as a bureaucracy (Ipianya,
2001).

13
Civil service is a body of man and women who are trained in various field
and employed by the government on a temporary or permanent basis to
render services to the government and the people of the state. Thus it does
not involve the Armed forces personal and judicial officers. Civil service is a
body of people who are directly responsible for the execution of government
policy; it includes everybody who participates in the execution of public
policy from the messenger to the top administrative officer (Nwizu, 2002).

Salassie concurs by defining civil service as a service comprising all

servants of the state, other than those holding political and judicial
appointments who are employed in a civil capacity and whose remuneration
is paid wholly and directly out of money voted by parliament.

Accordingly, C.B. Nwankwo, and co, defines civil service as a body of men
and women employed in a civil capacity and on a non-political basis by the
federal and state government primarily to render advice and faithfully give
effect to their decision.

Late chief M.K.O Abiola, in an article titled “Civil Service and African
Economy published in daily champion on Thursday, August 29th 1991,
defined the civil service as “the body of full time professional officials
employed in the civil offices of a state in a non-political capacity”. This
body which is permanently attached to the executive arm of government is
made up of permanent, skilled, professional workers who carry out the day-
to-day administration of the state under the chief executive and his cabinet.

The civil service is a term used to cover those public servants who are direct
employees of the federal and state government, other than the police, the
Armed forces personal, the judicial personal and the teachers. Its usage

14
excludes also employees of statutory corporations and boards (Nwosu,
2017).

In line with this, Ademolukun (2016) defines the civil service as the body of
permanent officials appointed to assist the political executive in formulating
and implementing governmental policies. It also sees the second usage of the
term as referring to the ministers and departments within which specific
aspects of government are carried out.

Traditionally, civil service is the totality of civil bureaucracy set up by

modern governments to administer and execute their policies and
programmes.

Contrary to this, the civil service handbook (1997) defines the civil service
as a growing body or organ that enjoys continuity of existence. The officials
engaged in it are otherwise known as the “civil servants” unlike members of
the legislative arm or organ of government are not united for a short period
of time in office at the expiration of which they may not be returned to
office; the civil servants remains in office where as elected members or
officers in the government come and go for whatever reason, when the civil
servants leave his office under no compulsory, voluntarily recruitment or by
registration or by termination of appointment, his office is taken over by
another person or officer that similarly enjoys security of employment. Thus,
the civil services can be regarded as a complex organization with a body of
seemingly permanent officials appointed in a capacity to assist the political
executives in the formulation, execution and implementation of the
government policies in ministries and extra-ministerial department within
which the specific government works are carried out.

15
Akpomuovire (2007) argues that the civil service is an institution which is
made up of a body of people employed and payed by the state government to
execute the laws, plans and policies of government. In carrying out this task,
the Human resources (civil servants) employed in the service, develop and
manage the resources of the government for the achievement of policies,
goals and objectives.

The service is the indispensable arm and the bedrock of the executive arm of
government the government uses the civil service to fulfill that contractual
relationship between government and the people.

In this regard, workers employed in the civil service have to be trained and
developed so as to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the service in
meeting the challenges of National development.

Human resource development in the civil service therefore focuses on the

objectives of equipping the personal in the service from the point of their
recruitment to that of retirement, so that civil servants be kept constantly
ready not only to provide improved living conditions for Nigeria but also set
the machinery for achieving accelerated growth and development within the
country.

The effectiveness of government is said to depend on the abilities of the

instruments of government to respond to the policies and programmes of
that government as observed by Philips (2018) when he said “in a strong
sense a country is a close reflection of the efficiency, effectiveness and
sensitivity of its civil service.

Human resources training and development is essential to the existence and

survival of organization. Olowu posits that human resource training and
16
 development enables civil servants acquire the relevant professional skills
and knowledge for effective performance.

Accordingly Drucker (2016) said that a good organizational structure itself

does not guarantee good performance. It is human resource training and
development that equips civil servants with relevant professional skills and
knowledge about effective and efficient performance.

2.5 Impact of Human Resource Development on the Nigerian Civil Service

Commission

Human resource development is one of the major operative functions of the

personnel department. This is because the success of an organization partly
depends on the people who work to achieve organizational objectives,
growth and profitability or efficiency and effectiveness in the case of Civil
service (Nwankwo, 2009). Thus, the emphasis placed by any organization on
human resource development is implicit emphasis placed on productivity.

Effective human resource development, therefore, can result in increased

productivity, reduced labour turn over and greater employee satisfaction
(Blum and Naylor, 2016).

The purpose of any employee training according to Nwachukwu (2009)

should include: ‘skill development, attitude modification, education and
development.’ Regarding Management development, Ubeku (1985)
observes that the plan of Management development should aim at:

1. Systematically transferring general management knowledge, policies and

procedures for managing the organization / company to all managers /
administrators.

17
2. Appraising and maintaining all inventory of all candidates moved as
qualified for replacements for managerial positions.
3. Improving the present performance of all managers on-the-job
development methods directed at individual needs.
4. Broadening managers / administrators for higher responsibilities through
outside and on-the-job programmes, activities and courses.

Closely related to this is the training need of the staff in organizations.

MCCornick and Triffin (2017) believe that training needs differ from group
to group. To them, the training needs of people in organizations tend to fall
into two groups which more to fewer blends into each other. First, there is
the need to provide specific job training, especially for new employees and
sometimes for present employees who are deficient in job performance.
Second, there is the need in most organizations to provide training of a
personal development nature that will contribute to the longer-range
effectiveness of the individual(s) in question.

Although personnel development training programmes have generally been

limited to executives and the management class, the changing times
emphasize the desirability of such training for other groups in order to
combat the occupational obsolesce of professional and scientific personnel.

Writing on human resource development, Mutahba (2015) noted that there is

the recognition that training and development in developed countries include
all categories of public service from the most senior to the most junior but in
developed countries, it has tended to be an exclusive concern of junior and
middle level public service personnel. Senior and top executives have
generally been left out especially in Africa (Hoyle, 1975). Apart from this,

18
Civil service training in African countries has a reputation for poor
organization and management (Armicheal 1986). Thus Tyagi’s (1975)
observation that the poor performance of Public Administration in third
world countries is, in great measure, a function of the neglect of human
resource development.

Writing on this Ubeku (1975) notes that employees who have not received
adequate training before being assigned responsibilities lack the necessary
confidence with which to carry out their jobs. Thus, they cling to methods
they were shown the first time they took up the job and are frightened at
doing the job in a different way because something might go wrong.

Ubeku (1975) regrets that human resource development in the public sector
focuses essentially on the officer cadre to the neglect of any systematic
development and training programmes for clerks and other grades of
workers. In the case of skilled staff, the civil service seems to rely entirely
on the trade certificate presented by the applicant with little or no effort
made thereafter to ensure further development on the job of the skills which
the new employee brought to the job.

In his own observation on the Nigerian situation, Akpan (1982) stresses the
need for specialized training and professional specialization but also on pre-
and post-entry training methods and techniques of administration for newly
recruited permanent members of staff and those already serving. He goes
further to say that Public Administration cannot be a matter for everybody
and anybody, this emphasizing the need for human resource development.

In this direction Hilgert and Towle (1978) views human resource

development as not only capable of reducing organizational or employee

19
 conflict but also of motivating staff in their work place. This is because “a
well-conceived training and development programme can contribute to a
lessening or reconciliation of conflict. Thus a challenge and an opportunity
is presented to every administrator / manager to make each employee better
able to serve the organization, while at the same time realizing greater
satisfaction of individual needs and aspirations”. Thus, human resource
development is also related to employee motivation as employees who know
and understand their jobs and who feel that management values them enough
to prepare them for future assignment are more likely to demonstrate higher
morale and greater interest in the job.

2.5 Theoretical Framework

This work adopts the systems theory as the theoretical framework of analysis
because the systems theory considers all elements and views the
organization as constituting of many parts, furthermore, system theorist see
an organization and its environment as inter-dependent; each depending on
the other for sustenance.

A system is a set of elements of units which interact in some way and are
supported from their environment by some land of boundaries (Young 1960,
Eminue 2001). Scholars of system see it as the most popular concept that
applies to systems regulation and maintenance, system equilibrium or
homeostasis which is the ability of system to maintain its internal balance
even while undergoing a process of change.

The development of the systems theory as a method of political analysis is

traced to David Easton and Gabriel Almond. The mustard seed was sewn
when the view originated that in the study of a given social and political

20
system, at was not so important to try to find out how a pattern of behavior
had originated as to find out the part it played in maintaining the system as a
whole. The system theory is a derivative of behaviorism, based on the
assumption that everything must be just as it is for the total society to be just
as it is.

Thus a person may be considered a system of organizations, a molecule may

be thought of as a system of individuals, implicit in this concept as a degree
of totality of wholeness that makes something different from another (Tilles,
1965).

According to Hicks (1972) the system theory of an organization has been

defined as a structured process in which individuals interest for objectives.

Idemudia (1990) defined the two terms “system” and “theory” separately in
order to elucidate the implication of their meaning. To him, a system is an
entity made up of a separate but inter-dependent part with set goals and
functions while a theory on the other hand is an abstract generalized
statement, summarizing or linking together a number of propositions into a
unified logical structure. Put together, system theory means how inter-
related social entity is organized into testable propositions.

The systems theory is an integrative theory that attempts to present an

organization as a unified purposeful system composed of inter-dependent
parts. It also consist of inter-dependent parts with distinct boundaries which
interacts with the environment by importing inputs, while it exports output
in order to maintain itself in a permanent state of equilibrium.

21
2.6 Summary of the Chapter

We took a closer look at Human Resource and productivity in the Nigeria

Civil service looking at their background from the colonial era, the military
era down to the civilian administration. This was done in-order to present a
better understanding of the origin and the different efforts in form of reforms
put in place to improve Human Resource and productivity in Nigeria civil
service and in a bid to do this we discovered that, adequate attention is not
given to staff training and development by the management of the civil
service and as such workers hardly get opportunities to undergo training.
Also it was discovered that majority of civil servants see training as an
opportunity to go on holiday and as a means of making money from
government. Trainings are rarely taken serious as a means of changing the
behaviors of the civil service. This is due to the facts that ministries and
extra-ministerial departments fail to post civil servants to jobs directly
related to their training.

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 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

In this chapter, the research study will focus the operation procedure and
method used in the course of this study.

The pertinent issues to be raised in this chapter are: Historical background of

Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, population of the study, the
sample and sampling techniques, the method of data collection and the
method of data analysis.

3.2 Historical Background of Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission

The present Nassarawa State Civil Service Commission came into being
since the creation of Nassarawa State in 1996 by the Abacha government
from the (today neighboring) Plateau State. Nasarawa State is bounded in
the north by Kaduna State, in the west by the Abuja Federal Capital
Territory, in the south by Kogi and Benue States and in the east by Taraba
and Plateau States.

The Civil Service Commission has a constitutional right of existence as

provided for in section 197 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria of 1999, and the appointment of the chairman and members, except
in the case of ex-officio members or where other provisions are made in this
constitution, the chairman of this constitution, be appointed by the Governor
of the State, and the appointment shall be subjected to confirmation by
resolution of the House of Assembly of the State.

23
 The membership of the civil service commission are appointed from suitable
qualified citizens, whose wealth of management, and proven integrity are
not in doubt, particularly from the retired senior public servants.

They (members) shall hold office for a tenure of 5 years and shall not be
dissolved until found wanting by 2/3 of the members of the State House of
Assembly or until the tenure expires.

The Nassarawa State Civil Service Commission is vested with among

others, the powers of appointment of all persons into the State Civil Service,
confirmation of appointment, discipline, promotion, retirement, withdrawal
of service, advancement, transfer of service, acceptance or otherwise of
resignation of appointment as established by the provision of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria constitution 1999; In exercising these powers, the
commission is guided by the provision of the scheme of service, civil service
rules, civil service regulations, establishment circulars and any other rules
and regulations that might be enforced from time to time.

3.3 Population of the Study Area

The population for the study consists of Nasarawa State civil servants
including those whose establishments have not been scheduled but are
drawing salaries and wages from the government of Nasarawa State.

One hundred (100) Senior Staff of these two categories of workers were
indentified for the purposes of this study. That is, fifty (50) of the scheduled
staff and fifty (50) of unscheduled staff.

24
3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Techniques

The sample size for this study consists of one hundred (100) personnel
working with Nasarawa State Civil Service. The choice of respondents will
be done by using stratified sampling technique.

This technique will be used because of the fact that the population is
heterogeneous and there is need for fair representation of target population.

Out of the 100 questionnaires administered to the staff of the commission,

80 were filled and returned which were used for the analysis in the study as
can seen in the next chapter.

3.5 Method of Data Collection

Both primary and secondary sources were employed in collecting

information for this study.

Primary data was derived through observations and questionnaire.

Questionnaire was the major source of primary data collection in this
investigation. Close-ended questions stated in simple and clear terms were
asked in order to elicit the required responses so as to generate the needed
information for the researcher’s use.

Secondary data were sourced from various written documents. Materials in

the relevant literature area obtained from textbooks, journals, newspapers
and annual reports.

25
3.6 Method of Data Analysis

Data collected from the respondents tabulated will be in order to make it

easy for analysis and interpretation. The researcher used Simple percentage
method of analysis.

26
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Presentation and Analysis of Data

This chapter shall look at data presentation and analysis of this research
work. It shall discuss the response of Nasarawa State Civil Service workers
to questionnaires administered; research questions shall be used for data
presentations and analysis, data presentation shall also be applied for testing
hypothesis, the sample size used for the analysis is 80.
Section A: Demographic Data of Respondents
Table 1: Distribution of Respondents by Sex

SEX FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)

Female 36 45
Male 44 55
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

From the above table, it could be deducted that thirty-six (36) respondents
(45%) were female, while forty-four (44) (55%) were male respondent to the
questionnaire.
Table 2: Distribution of Respondents by Age
AGE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
18 – 24 40 50
25 – 34 10 12.5
35 – 44 14 17.5
44 – 60 16 20
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

27
 The above table indicates that forty (40) (50%) respondents to the
questionnaire were 18 – 24 years of age, while ten (10) (12.5%) respondents
were of age 25 – 34, fourteen (14) (17.5%) respondents were age 35 – 44
years and sixteen (16) (20%) respondents were of 44 – 60years.

Table 3: Distribution of Respondents of Marital Status

MARITAL STATUS FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)

Single 20 25
Married 60 75
Divorce 0 0
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

From the above table, it shows that 20 (25%) respondents to the

questionnaire were single, while 60 (75%) respondents were married and
there was no divorce.

Table 4: Distribution of Responses by Educational Qualification

QUALIFICATION FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)

MBA/M.SC/M.A 10 12.5
BSC/HND 50 62.5
OND/NCE 10 12.5
WASC/SSCE 10 12.5
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 4 revealed that 10 (12.5 %) of the respondents were MBA/M.SC/ M.A

holders, 50 (62.5%) respondents were B.Sc/HND holder, 10 (12.5%)
respondents representing were OND/NCE holder while 10 (12.5%)
respondents representing (12.5%) were those who possess WASC/SSCE.

28
Table 5: Distribution of Responses by year of Service.

YEAR OF SERVICE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)

5 years 10 12.5
10 years 40 50
15 years 20 25
20 years 4 5
30 years 6 2.5
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 5 shows that 10 (12.5%) respondents have possessed five years

experienced in the service, 40 (50%) respondents have ten (10) years
experiences, 20 (25%) respondents equally have fifteen years (15)
experience, just only 4 (5%) respondents have twenty years’ experience
while 6 (2.5%) respondents possess thirty and above years’ experience civil
commission.

Table 6: Distribution of Respondents based on their Job Status

JOB STATUS FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)

Senior Staff 40 50
Middle Staff 20 25
Junior Staff 20 25
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 6 shows that 40 (50%) respondents were senior staff, 20 (25%)

respondents were middle staff, while remaining 20 (25%) respondents were
junior staff of the civil service commission.

29
 Section B: Research Questions

Question 1: Political influence constraints the development process of the of

Nasarawa State civil service commission.
Table 7
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 40 50
A.G. 30 37.5
D.A 4 5
S.D 4 5
U.C 2 2.5
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table of question 1 above shows that 40 (50%) respondents strongly agree

that political influence constraints the development process, 30 (37.5%)
respondent agrees, 4 persons disagree, 4 (5%) strongly disagree, while 2
(2.5%) respondents was uncertain.

Deducting from the analysis of table 1 above, one can conclude that political
influence constraints the development process of the Nasarawa State civil
service commission.

Question Two: Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission has a significant

role to play in process of development of staff

Table 8

30
 RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 40 50
A.G. 20 25
D.A 10 12.5
S.D 4 5
U.C 6 7.5
Total 40 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.
Table 8 revealed that (40) (50%) respondents strongly agree that Nasarawa
State civil service commission has a role to play in development process
while 20 (25%) agree, 10 (12.5%) respondents disagree, 4 (5%) of the
respondents strongly disagree while 4 (5%) respondents were uncertain. This
shows that Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission has a significant role
to play in process of development of staff.
Question 3: Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission is not bias in the
process of human resource development.
Table 9
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 40 50
A.G. 20 25
D.A 10 12.5
S.D 0 0
U.C 10 12.5
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 9, indicate that majority of the respondents 40 (50%) strongly agreed

that the Nasarawa State civil service commission is not bias in the process of
human resource development also, 20 respondents (25%) equally agreed
meanwhile, few respondents (12.5%) disagreed and 5(12.5%) respondents

31
were uncertain. This shows that Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission
is not bias in the process of human resource development.
Question 4: Necessary facilities are available to the Nasarawa State civil
service commission for development and productivity.
Table 10
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 30 37.5
A.G. 40 50
D.A 4 5
S.D 2 2.5
U.C 4 5
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

This table clarified that 30 (37.5%) of the respondents said the necessary
facilities are in place, 40 (50%) respondents agreed, but 4 (5%) of the
respondents disagreed, 2.5% strongly disagreed, while another 5% were
uncertain.
Judging from table 10 above, it shows that necessary facilities are available
to the Nasarawa State civil service commission for development and
productivity.

Question 5: Development and productivity of the staff should not be saddle

with civil service commission.
Table 11
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 0 0
A.G. 4 5

32
 D.A 26 32.5
S.D 40 50
U.C 10 12.5
Total 40 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 11 above gave us insight about staff’s opinion in this question of the
respondent (50%) strongly disagreed that development staff should not be
saddle with the civil service commission; (32.5%) respondent’s disagreed.
Few numbers of respondents were certain (12.5%) while (5%) respondents
agreed. This indicates that development and productivity of the staff should
not be saddle with civil service commission.
Question 6: Which source influence your appointment into the civil service
commission?
Table 12
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
Politicians 60 75
The Commission 20 25
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

Table 12 above shows that large percentage of the staffs 60 (75%) admit that
their appointment were influenced into the civil service by politicians while
few of the respondents 20 (25%) admit that their appointment were
influenced into the civil service by the commission. We can therefore
conclude that majority of the appointments into the Nasarawa State civil
service is influenced by politicians.

33
 Question 7: Does shortage of manpower constitute problem to staff
productivity of Nasarawa State civil service?
Table 13
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE (%)
S.A. 56 72.5
A.G. 20 25
D.A 4 5
S.D 0 0
U.C 0 0
Total 80 100
Source: Field Survey, 2020.

This table revealed that larger percentage (72.5%) of the respondents

strongly agreed that shortage of manpower constitute problem to staff
productivity in the Nasarawa State civil service, while 20 (25%) respondents
equally agreed. Just only 4 (5%) respondents disagreed. Therefore, we can
say that shortage of manpower constitute problem to staff productivity of
Nasarawa State civil service.

4.2 Summary of Research Findings

The major aim of the study is to examine human resource development and
productivity in the Nigerian Civil Service with particular reference to
Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission. Based on the findings from the
analysis shown above, we can therefore conclude that;

 Political influence constraints the development process of the Nasarawa

State civil service commission.
 Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission has a significant role to play
in process of development of staff.
34
 Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission is not bias in the process of
human resource development.
 Necessary facilities are available to the Nasarawa State civil service
commission for development and productivity.
 Development and productivity of the staff should not be saddle with civil
service commission.
 Majority of the appointments into the Nasarawa State civil service is
influenced by politicians.
 Shortage of manpower constitute problem to staff productivity of
Nasarawa State civil service.

35
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary

The central focus of this work has been on Human Resource Development
and Productivity in the Nigerian Civil Service. An appraisal of Nasarawa
State Civil Service.

Different definition and views on the need for human resource training in an
organization were looked into and it became evident that training and re-
training of human resources is very essential for productivity to rise in the
civil service.

In chapter two, we took a closer look at Human Resource and productivity in

the Nigeria Civil service as done by other researchers. This was done in-
order to present a better understanding of the origin and the different efforts
in form of reforms put in place to improve Human Resource and
productivity in Nigeria civil service and in a bid to do this we discovered
that, adequate attention is not given to staff training and development by the
management of the civil service and as such workers hardly get
opportunities to undergo training.

In chapter three, we look at the methodology adopted in carrying out this

research work.

In chapter four, we analyzed the data collected from the respondents whom
are the staff of the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, using tables
and simple percentage method of data analysis.

36
 Chapter five is the summary, conclusion and recommendations based on the
findings.

5.2 Conclusion

The work examined the impediments to Human Resource Development and

productivity using Nasarawa State civil service commission as a case study.

It is the duty of management especially those concerned with Human

Resource planning to ensure that Human Resources are well managed to
avoid waste and shortage. Human Resource Administrators are expected to
empower the staff to undergo regular job training and re-training in order to
enhance greater staff productivity.

Little or no attention is paid to staff training in the state civil service. Staffs
are rarely sent on training and even when they do the staffs usually fund
their training themselves.

Government only fund trainings such as workshops that comprise religious

activities due to this, they lack training opportunity which leads to
inefficiency and low productivity in the civil service.

Furthermore, corruption and nepotism are apparent in Nasarawa State civil

service. Both the Government and those in charge of recruitment and
selection should shun godfatherism, faulty implementation of the federal
character principle that has restrained merit-based recruitment and selection
of staff. The substitution of merit for who knows who has led to the
placement of unqualified staff’s in positions they do not merit. In effect, un-
productivity and poor service delivery are now part of the civil service.

37
5.3 Recommendations

The civil service should device a scheme that will compel workers at every
point in their career development to undergo particular training in-line with
their job calling. Thus training should now be tired to their career
progression while in service.

Benefits like compensation, promotion, upliftment in salary grade level,

change of work schedule for the better etc should be attached to act as pre-
requisites. This will encourage government workers to want to undergo
training.

There is need to promote sound policies on recruitment, training and re-

training of civil servants for effective service delivery and productivity.
These policies will contribute immensely to enhancing and promoting
accountability, professionalism, discipline and transparency in the conduct
of government functions. Recruitment and promotion should strictly be
based on merit, performance and achievements.

The government should introduce an equitable wage and incentive system

and improve other conditions of work in order reduce the level of poverty
and improve lives. This will inevitably reduce people’s vulnerability to
corruption.

There is need to get rid of the godfatherism syndrome nepotism and

favoritism so that appointment process should be done by the commission
alone.

38
In addition, periodic monitoring and evaluation of productivity level of staff
should be clearly carried out to ascertain their proficiency in other respective
field and to make changes where necessary.

Finally, they are need for construction of adequate infrastructures and

placement on job roles to reduce chitchats in the work place and improve
productivity.

39
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 APPENDIX A: LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

School Business Admin. & Management,

Department of Public Administration,
Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic,
P.M.B 109 Lafia,
Nasarawa State.

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

Dear Respondents,

With due respect of humanity & loyalty, I am a final year student of the
above named institution currently undertaking a research work on the
topic:

“Human Resource Development and Productivity in the Nigerian Civil

Service (A case study of Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission)” in
partial fulfillment of the pre-requisite for the award of Higher National
Diploma (HND) in Public Administration.

Respondents are requested to fill in the questionnaire; the information to

be given will be used for the purpose of the study only and shall be treated
as confidential, please.

Yours Faithfully,

Christopher Timothy Ale

Researcher
44
 APPENDIX B: QUESTIONNAIRE

SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF RESPONDENTS

1. Sex: Male [ ], Female [ ]
2. Age: 18 -24 [ ] 25 – 34 [ ] 35 – 44 [ ] 44 - 60 [ ]
3. Marital Status: Single [ ], Married [ ], Divorce [ ]
4. Educational Qualification:
MBA/M.SC/M.A [ ], BSC/HD [ ], OND/NCE [ ], WASSE/SSCE [ ]
5. Years of Service:
5 years [ ], 10 years [ ], 15 years [ ], 20 years [ ], 30 years [ ].

6. Position: Senior Staff [ ], Middle Staff [ ], Junior Staff [ ].

SECTION B: RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Key:
S.A = Strongly Agree
A.G = Agree
D.A = Disagree
S.D = Strongly Disagree
U.C = Uncertain
7. Political influence constraints the development process of the Nasarawa
State civil service commission
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]
8. Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission has a significant role to play in
the process of development.
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]

45
9. Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission is not bias in the process of
human resource development
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]
10. Necessary facilities are available to the Nasarawa State Civil Service
Commission for development and productivity
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]
11. Development and productivity of the staff should not be saddle with civil
service commission
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]
12. Which source influence your appointment into the civil service
commission?
(a)Politicians [ ] (b) The Commission [ ]
13. Does shortage of manpower constitute problem to staff productivity of
Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission?
S.A [ ], A.G [ ], D.G [ ], S.D [ ], U.C [ ]

46