AN ANALYSIS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC SERVICE. ( A CASE STUDY OF THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE OWERRI, IMO STATE)

ABSTRACT

The primary purpose of this study is to ascertain the effects of corruption in the Nigerian public service. The survey method of descriptive research was used for the study. The main instrument used in data collection for the study was a questionnaire and its responses were detailed in frequency tables and percentage which was used to analyse the data.
The result of the analysis and interpretation revealed that bureaucracy has too much innovation and not rigidity, it sees human feelings and not regarding human as a programme like machines and appropriately manipulated to produce standard outcomes in Nigeria. It was also discovered that rules and regulation encourage the operation of the Nigerian police force. Impersonal orientation help the actualisation of police force objectives, too close supervision and control that helps bureaucrat in the process of carrying out assigned works in Nigeria. Also employees are motivated due to unsterile work environment, strict adherence to rules and regulation applied to workers. Creativity and innovation, hierarchy of authority fosters the process of decision, a message sender and message received for short communication, division of work compete of work comment and slow the process of decision making. Therefore, employees are satisfied by the method of payment and remuneration.

INTRODUCTION

According to Max Weber he defined bureaucracy as an organisation with a hierarchy of paid, full-time officials who formed a chain of command and these are concerned with the business of administration with controlling, managing and co-ordinating a complex series of task. Bureaucracy is a system of control, it is a hierarchical organisation in which superiors strictly control and discipline the activities of the subordinates. ORUEBOR, A.A (2007:142) According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2000) defines corruption as “dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority; the act or effect or making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour” corruption is a deviation from following the normal accepted standard of behaviour by a public official in order to serve social economic or political interest. CHINELO AROH (2010:50).

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Nigerian police Authority have and will continue to be one of the prime mores of development in different parts of the world and their importance and impact on daily activities of citizens cannot be over emphasized. Before the independence of Nigeria in 1960, public relations practice was not popular because only a few Nigerians know what it was. In Nigeria, public relation was introduced on 1st January, 1944 with the establishment of the first ever public relations office in the country though it was not popular. The lack of adequate knowledge of public relations as a career and the absence of public relation programmes for understanding its practise hindered many Nigerian organisations until recently, when the Federal Republic of Nigeria promulgated Decree No.16 of June,1990,establishing and upholding the practice of public relations in Nigeria.

The origin of the police is a product of social crisis in the society. The word Police is derived from the Greek word “polis” meaning that part of non ecclesiastical administration having to do with the safety, health and order of the state. Policing and police work did not start as a paid profession. It started as a noble, incorruptible and distinction. It was the justices of the peace system, which corrupted the parish constable system. The 1960 constitution established the Nigerian police force as a federal force charged with the responsibility for maintenance of law and order throughout Nigeria. However, the constitution did not prevent the regions from establishing their own local police force. The command of the Nigerian police force was under the inspector general of police (IGP) while those of the regions were under the command of commissioners of police. Recently, the Nigerian police force (NPF) dropped the force in its name and now answers the Nigerian police. Do not be suprised to read the Nigerian police in place of the Nigerian police force.

The Nigerian police is grouped into departments A-F; “A” department takes care of administration personnel promotion, dismissal, transfer and posting, medical budgeting, pay and accounts, public relations and printing etc “B” department and “F” have their own respective duties, our major concern is “A” department where public relations belongs or categorised.