CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

Nigeria is in dire need of accountability in Public Spending. This is because accountability Public Spending is cost effective to promote social and economic development. Public Spending has the potential to enhance democratic process by promoting fairness, civic responsibility and social – economic development. They add value to a country in terms of its attractiveness as a place to live work and invest.

The term “Public Spending” here refers to the combination of government controlled and commercial private sector services being provided to the general public as clients, and most importantly as a citizen Fawoyi (2007).

In order to fulfill this statutory mandates, government at all level regularly or more appropriately in Nigeria, routinely enters into contract to purchase goods and services to the public. Indeed a large proportion of government activities are carried out through such contracts.

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It goes without saying that these contracts are the major vehicle of corruption in Nigeria. Thus since the inception of civilian administration in Nigeria there have been persistent demand for the legislative intervention inform of statutory enactments to define basic ground rules for effectiveness and efficiency in public spending with a view to reducing corruption in the process at least to the barest minimum Fawoyi, (2007).

This research work focuses on checking wastage in Public Spending in Public Sector Organizations: An assessment of Roles of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Kebbi State Office.

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The quality of public service provided by public institution for the years has been very poor, sadly the inefficiency which characterized these services has crept into the private sector, little wonder, the average Nigerian citizen is daily with poor customer public service almost all sector of the economy.

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However, with the return of Nigeria to civilian rule on the 29th May, 1999, with a lot of enthusiasm in the minds of citizens for better days to come because of the long years of military rule which many believed had caused our dear country a lot of set back economically, politically, socially, culturally and religiously. The high hopes which the public administrators faded away after the first four years, as the nations problems such as unemployment, corruption, ineffective and inefficient public service and soon still persisted.

It was identified that numerous gaps exist in the policy. It was also discovered that many public services were inaccessible of poor quality and indifferent to customer needs. Our public offices have for too long been show cases for inefficiency and dishonesty whilst being impediments to implementation for sound government policies. The Nigerian effort aim at instilling quality public service initiative appeared to be built around a total quality management. Philosophy which consists of a series of quality improvement activities involving employees,

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members of public and top management in a joint effort to achieve effective public service improvement.

1.2       STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Despite the crucial roles to played by the government at all level to ensure effective and efficient public service to the general public, yet these service provided by the public institutions over the year has been very poor, such that an average citizen is daily assaulted with poor public spending.

These was no proper monitoring and oversight as far as public service spending is concerned, due to absence of harmonize government policies and practices which will regulate the setting of standards for effective public spending.

The problem of complete absence of legal frame work n relation to efficient public spending and lack of professional capacity for public procurement and related matters in Nigeria.

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Our public offices saddle with the responsibility of discharging public spending have for long be proved for inefficiency and dishonesty whilst being impediments to implement of sound government policies.

There was complete neglect on the issues of competition and transparency in public procurement process which the existing anti-corruption bodies laws, and codes fail to address or which require a specific legislation in order to rid effective public spending process of corruption and nepotistic tendencies.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this research work is to determine the causes of ineffective and inefficient public spending of the public sector organization to the general public.

Specific objectives would be focused on checking wastage in public spending in public sector organization. This research work has a specific objective which as follow:-

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1.                 To examine spending wastages in public spending in public sector organization an assessment of the roles of bureau of public procurement (BPP) In Kebbi state office.

2.                 To identify the problems that confronted public spending in public sector organization.

3.                 To solution of the problems that associated with public spending procedure. In public sector organization an assessment of the roles of Bureau of public procurement (BPP) in Kebbi state office.

The research work aim at sharing the ways government agency (Bureau for Public Procurement) checks wastage in public spending in public sector organization for a better service to the general public.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study being aimed at examining checking the wastage in public spending of public sector organization in service delivery, and considering the crucial role played by Bureau for public procurement in

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checking the wastage in public spending Kebbi State it is of utmost significance.

This project work would no doubt be of benefit to administrators and managers of public sector organizations for it will serve as a guide to them in carrying out public spending functions. Students who want to acquire knowledge of monitoring and oversight in public spending, competitive bidding and award of contracts in the course of their study will also find it very useful.

To those who would like to undertake research work on the role of Bureau for public procurement in checking wastage in public spending in public sector organization. This project would be useful to the management of virtually every organization be it at federal level, state level or local government level, as a reference material.

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1.5       HYPOTHESIS

This research work intends to test the validity of the following hypothesis:

1.                 H1 that there is relationship between public spending and ineffective service of public sector organizations.

2.                 Hii that harmonize government regulation influence effective public spending in public sector organization

3.                 Hiii that the quality of public spending by public sector organization is due to influence of competition and transparency in checking wastage in public spending.

1.6       SCOPE AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study covered a wide range of discussions within the boundary of Kebbi State Bureau for Public Procurement Office. In order not to deviate from the main thrust of the study, the research will try to cover the role of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) in checking the wastage in public spending of the public sector organization. The research would equally cover the area of monitoring and oversight of

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effective public spending with view to making useful suggestions and recommendations to the appropriate authorities for solution. However, the research is limited due to time and financial constraint as well as difficulties in accessing some data and information.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

“Service” in general refers to intangible benefits provided to individualsor organizations through the performance of variety of activities or provision of physical facilities or products.

“Procurement” According to oxford advanced learner’s Dictionarycoordination of men and materials can be defined is the process of obtaining supplies of something especially within an organization for the accomplishment of identifiable purpose.

“Public Sector:- Is a part of the state that deals with either theproduction, ownership, soles, provision, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local.

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Public sector can also means commercial art of government that provide goods and services to the citizens.

“Checking”, this refers to the power of one organization over anotherorganization such that it has control over the affairs of the other organization and prevent such organization from misuse of it legal powers.

1.8       SCHEME OF THE WORK (CHAPTERIZATION)

This research work is divided into five (5) chapters as outlined below:

Chapter one covers the general introduction to the study, background of the study, statement of problems, research questions, objectives of the study, hypothesis, significance of the study, scope and the limitations of the study, definition of terms and scheme of work.

Chapter two is a literature review, the chapter essentially focused on conceptual definition of public sector in Nigeria, conditions of public sector in Nigeria, types of public sector methodology. Wastage in public spending of public sector organizations and the role of Bureau for Public

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