APPLICATION OF NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT (NPM) IN THE SERVICE DELIVERY OF NIGERIA CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM: PERILS AND PROSPECTS
Authors:
Duezeh, Emmaunel Afamefuna.
Abstract:
One issue that has become central in the political economy of any Nation in this 21st century is the reduction in the cost of governance through improved result-oriented civil service. The general acceptance that if the core management variables are imported in the modus operandi of the civil service will bring improved performance and efficiency in the service delivery is incontrovertible. The paper examines how New Public Management (NPM) becomes a viable option in repositioning and revamping the Civil Service. The paper adopts a content analysis method through the use of secondary data. More so, the theory of principal-Agent theory according to Yamamtoto (2003) is used as a platform for the arguments put forward in the paper. The paper reveals that the adoption of the NPM in some emerging economies like Malaysia, Ghana, South Africa was a success but the same cannot be said in Nigeria due to parochial and attitude towards change on the side of the civil servants. In addition to the pitfall of New public Management was the marketization of public services has also created some challenges especially to the poor people who cannot afford high charges by private companies which claim serve people rather generate profits. The research recommends among others that the political will and commitment of the government and public servants is a recipe for a successful operation of the New Public Management. It concludes that New Public Management is the sine qua non for any civil service that wants to be effective in service delivery.