The Civil Service is the administrative bureaucracy which
occupies an essential position in the political system of nations. Throughout
the world, the contributions of Civil Service in promoting sustainable and
equitable economic growth are receiving increasing attention. Efficient and
effective management of the Civil Service are critical to sustainable
socio-economic development of a nation. Thus, any government that neglects this
body is headed for socio-economic and political destruction. The civil service
is an essential part of any society’s growth and development. Bezzina (1994)
opined that Civil Service refers to employees selected and promoted on the
basis of a merit and seniority system, which may include examination, (as cited
by Anazodo, Okoye, & Chukwuemeka, 2012, p.17) The
Civil Service in Nigeria is of a colonial creation. The model of Civil Service
bequeathed to Nigeria by her colonial master (Britain) was narrow in structure
and objectives. It was basically structured in such a manner that enabled
colonial masters to successfully extract the much coveted financial and
material resources needed by their controlling metropolitan powers.
One major preoccupation of the present administration of the
civil service has been Policy Reforms aimed at improving the machinery of
government and service delivery generally. They play a major role in boosting
the economy and improving the general wellbeing of all citizens. More so, the
civil service and her reforms and acts where sustained after independence was
the parlous state of the economy of the nation, and the erosion of public
confidence in government and its institutions to deliver the much expected
dividends of democracy. The civil service is supposed to be a separate that
should not be taking care of at the mercy of the state and federal government.
What is practice in Nigeria or the way the civil servants in
Nigeria are treated is the opposite of what it ought to be. In payment of their
salaries, it is seen as a rare privilege being done to them instead of a right.
A worker deserves a reward for the services rendered and is not expected to be
given that on the basis of being done a favour.
The fact that when a governor pays his workers, he is seen as
a good governor or ‘alert governor’ is appalling and disheartening. A payment
of salary is considered as rendering the dividends of democracy and having the
interest of the civil servants at heart. This has further made the civil
servants gullible and incapacitated in taking important parts in determining
the right practice of democracy. Little wonder, corruption still continues to
ravage the country’s socio-political, economic growth and development and the
perversion of justice by the judicial body.
This paper is therefore a critical evaluation and
investigation into the general belief that the civil servant’s salary is a
privilege and not a right and further seeks to reconceptualise this age-long
tradition and brings an appreciation and dignity in labour in Nigeria.
Victor, N (2018). A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE PAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS SALARY. Afribary.com: Retrieved February 27, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/a-critical-appraisal-of-the-payment-of-civil-servants-salary
Nwaiwu, Victor. "A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE PAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS SALARY" Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 08 Apr. 2018, https://afribary.com/works/a-critical-appraisal-of-the-payment-of-civil-servants-salary . Accessed 27 Feb. 2021.
Nwaiwu, Victor. "A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE PAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS SALARY". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 08 Apr. 2018. Web. 27 Feb. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/a-critical-appraisal-of-the-payment-of-civil-servants-salary >.
Nwaiwu, Victor. "A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE PAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS SALARY" Afribary.com (2018). Accessed February 27, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/a-critical-appraisal-of-the-payment-of-civil-servants-salary