THE NIGERIA PUBLIC SERVICE REFORMS OF 1999-2007: A PANACEA FOR FEDERAL STAFF MOTIVATION

The Public Service is the machinery of government that is concern with the formulation of policies and delivery of goods and services by and for the government whether National, Regional and Local level. However from the mid 1970s to 1990s the Nigeria Public Service had begun to exhibit signs of progressive decay, as a result of the oil boom era, over centralization, growing conflict between Cadres and hierarchy, low staff morale and productivity. This failure propelled the federal Government in power in 1999 to embark on the Reforms of the Public Service. This papers aims is to examine how/whether the Public Service Reform of 1999-2007 motivated Nigeria Federal staff. The Paper will examine the impact of the contributory pension reforms, monetization, servicom and remuneration on motivation. These will equally be used as an assessment indicator. This paper will adopt Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs as a theoretical framework. The paper will employ both quantitative data such as questionnaire and qualitative data such as interview and other documented evidence. The paper argues that reforms have not being able to motivate federal government staff. The paper analyses that previous reforms in Nigeria before 1999 failed to motivate federal government staff. It concludes that Reforms in Nigeria since 1960 has not impacted positively on the performance and workings of the federal government staff.