Conversion of Public Policy: The Common Challenges of Public Administration in Nigeria

Abstract

The context of the study was on the increasing failure of public policies to resolve public problems and redeem Nigeria from increasing frustration of governance. It set out to isolate the variables accountable for the recurrent failures of policies implemented. The descriptive-analytical research design was adopted and complemented  by 'case-study' paradigm examined, some public policies including, 'conditional cash transfer' which had positive outcomes in the standard of living of the target groups where it was copied, and none in Nigeria. Other social interventions evaluated, revealed that Nigeria applied the traditional civil service system of policy implementation, which resulted in no positive impact. The study revealed further that, lack of technical skills and capacity in modern public policy implementation strategies immobilized the policy processes. In addition unveiled that all social interventions were housed in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs known for corruption, with a social register whose compilation processes are not trusted. Consequently, the various social interventions failed to impact those intended to be affected. It then proposed the adoption of the application of the Logical framework Approach (LFA), consisting of program implementation and the training of the policy implementer in the new approach, the review of the social register of the target groups, retributive justice of anyone misappropriating fund meant for the programs, extensive monitoring and evaluation to assess 'process and summative' effect of specific programs. The implications include that further social interventions programs must be taken away from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and link to any other whose inputs would be required in the processes, of adopting the Logical Framework Approach to public policy execution as canvassed herein, to ensure the Government works for all.