Public Policy Formulation and Implementation and Its Impact on Grassroots Development in Nigeria, 2015-2021
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
This study’s overarching goal is to conduct an empirical examination of grassroots development and public policy in Nigeria, with a particular emphasis on the Ini local government region. Therefore, the precise goals are:
- To ascertain the impact of public policie.s on grassroot development in Nigeria.
- To evaluate various challenges surrounding grassroot development policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.
- To ascertain the role of grassroot leaders in facilitating grassroot development through policies.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Review
The Concept of Policy
According to Forman (2008), there are two different interpretations of the term “policy” in the context of public administration. First, a policy is viewed as a procedure or a guideline for making decisions. Second, he asserts that policy refers to substantive programs that expressly address the context of what is being done, as opposed to how it is being done.
Ross (2009) argued that rather than being a single choice, policy should be viewed as “a continuous series of more or less related activities and their implications for individuals interested.” The notion was defined systematically by Lasswell and Kaplan (2001), who made it seem more applicable and relevant to many domains of the social and behavioral sciences. Their definition of policy is as follows: “Policy is a projected programme of objective, values and practices; policy process is the development, promulgation and implementation of identifications, demand and expectations concerning the future interpersonal interactions of the self.”
Lowi (2000) stressed the significance of the concept of coercion in thinking about policy, which also helped people understand the concept of policy. He contends that policy entails intentional coercion, or more precisely, declarations meant to outline the goal, means, subjects, and objects of the exercise of coercion in the context of power dynamics in organizational structure. A policy is a “course-setting encompassing decisions of greatest implications and longest temporal perspective in the sight of an organization,” according to Gergan (2008).
In order to accomplish a specific purpose or objective, Friedrich (2003) views policy as an effort to overcome and/or utilize environmental impediments and/or possibilities. He continued by saying that policy is aimed at achieving a particular purpose or objective.
Chikeleze (2013) made the empirical finding that purposeful behavior is a component of policy. He further defined policy as a deliberate course of action adopted by a person or group of people in order to address a problem or a matter of concern.
The Concept of Public Policy
Public policy is the moral framework that directs how the administrative and executive departments of the government act in relation to a group of problems in a way that complies with the law and accepted institutional practices. National constitutional laws, rules, and procedures, along with administrative decisions made by the government, form the basis of public policy. Public policy making can be defined as a dynamic, complex, and interactive system that identifies and addresses public problems through the development of new public policy or the revision of current public policy (John, 2011).
Franklin (2014) defined public policy as anything that the government decides to do or not do. Therefore, public policy is a tactic the government uses to address societal problems. It is connected to the formally established policy objectives and strategies, as well as the rules and procedures that carry out programs.
According to Njoku (2015), public policy is “the strategic deployment of resources to ameliorate governmental or national challenges.” According to Benson (2011), it is a result of the public’s interest in enhancing human situations. These definitions differ from what governments actually do in terms of what they decide to do. Government has created public policy as a manual for practice and direction in specific problem areas.
Every democracy’s cornerstone, public policy serves a crucial function in practically every society. Most national politicians’ attention is currently focused on a number of important public policy issues, including the reduction of poverty, grassroots development, energy, housing, and healthcare. Both laws that positively impact our society and those that do not are many. We know that effective public policy typically combines two components: good policy (measurable and positive outcome) and good politics. Effective and efficient public policy advances justice, upholds democratic institutions and processes, and promotes an engaged and compassionate citizenry (Nnamdi, 2016).
Semantically, public policy is the declaration of a government’s intention(s) by those in positions of public trust, demanding that the government take action or take action, and having an impact on the majority of people in a given society, either negatively or positively.
Public policy can also be thought of as the culmination of peoples’ hopes, aspirations, and intentions expressed in formal documents like legislative enactments, white papers, estimates, government circulars, conclusions of the Council of Ministers (executive councils), development or rolling plans, etc., or otherwise articulated and enacted as the current stance on particular issues.
Accordingly, public policy is a deliberate and binding action by the authoritative organs of the state designed to influence the behavior of the society. It is not a haphazard action but rather a systematic method of society fundamental national problems. The systematic approach is vital so that the numerous public problems will be prioritized against the available resources. As well as harmonize the various sectoral aspects of the total policy (Fred, 2000).
As a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives, public policy almost always involves efforts by competing interest groups to influence policy makers in their favour. This is one unique attribute of public policy. A good public policy begins at inception hence to create strong policy, one must first define the problem, gather evidence, identify causes, evaluate the policy, develop solution, select best solution, evaluate benefits and costs, utilized the prince system to, develop political strategies to solve public problems effective and efficient, serves justice, supports democratic institutions and processes and encourage an active/empathic citizenship (Gregory, 2016).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter presented the method used in conducting this research. It was treated under the following headings; Research design, Population of the study, Sample Size and Sampling Technique, Description of Research Instruments, Validity of gathering Instrument, Reliability of data gathering Instrument, Method of Data Collection, and method of Data Analysis.
Research Design
The research design used for this study was survey research design because it studies both large and small population by selecting and studying samples chosen from the population. The survey research design was considered appropriate for this study because it helped in gathering first-hand information on the impact of public policy on grassroot development. The method provided the researcher with the opportunity to ask direct questions that are relevant to the study that is being carried out
Population of the Study
The population of this study is the generality of the Ini local government area of Akwa Ibom state. According to National Population Commission (NPC) Akwa Ibom zone, Ini local government area has a population of 258,000 and they all consist of working class, businessmen and women, traders, farmers and youth among others. The sample size will be acquired from the above population.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Introduction
In this section of the study, data collected through the distribution of well- structured questionnaire were analyzed using frequency tables and percentages. This was divided into response rate analysis, demographic statistical analysis and evaluation of research questions items.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENIATIONs
Summary of Findings
The primary essence of this research has been to empirically investigate an empirical analysis of public policy and grassroot development in Nigeria with an empirical focus on Ini local government area. Based on the aims of the study, the following main findings were extracted:
- Public policy has no significant impact on grassroot development in Nigeria.
- There are significant challenges surrounding grassroot development policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.
- Grassroot leaders are not committed to the grassroot development of Ini local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Conclusion
This study has been able to empirically ascertain the relationship between public policy and grassroot development in Ini local government area. Based on the findings of the study, one can draw the conclusion that public policy has not been contributing impressively to the development of Ini. The cause of this quagmire is traced to challenges like corruption, uncommitted leaders and a mismatch between policy formulation and the speed of implementation.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were proffered:
- To make public policies effective in Nigeria and Ini in particular, there should be a continuous forum between the government and the people so that policies formulated are in line with the needs and priorities of the people and community in general.
- To overcome the challenges surrounding grassroot development policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria, independent experts should be engaged and granted autonomy and independence. Corruption perpetrators should also be dealt with extensively.
- Grassroot leaders should always be empowered through reorientation programmes and leadership trainings. This will unarguably increase their commitment and make them take leadership roles more seriously.
References
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