WEEK 4: SS2 GOVERNMENT: CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

Definition: The civil service commission is a body set up by the constitution to manage the affairs of the civil servants. The 1979 constitution established the commission in both the federal and

state level.COMPOSITION: The commission is made of chairman and not more than nine members appointed by the president at the federal level, while at the state there is a chairman plus not more than four members. All appointments must be approved by the National assembly or state assembly.

POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

• Recruitment: It is the duty of the commission to recruit ,select and appoint civil servant.

• Promotion: It promotes the civil servants and move them to the next grade level.

• Discipline: It has the power to dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over any civil servant.

• Evaluation: It monitors, appraises and evaluates the performance of ministries and departments

• Defines the conditions of service of civil servants.• Advice: Advises the government in areas of appointment.• Training: It encourages training and retraining of civil servant through

seminars, workshops and conferences.• Retirement: It retires the civil servants that have reached the stipulated

retirement age.

HOW TO MAKE THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION EFFICIENT

• Independence: The commission should be independent, the government should respect the constitutional provision establishing it.

• Federal character: The appointment of the member of the commission must be based on federal character.

• Members of the commission must be people of high integrity and sound judgment

• Security of Tenure: Members of the commission must have security of tenure e.g.5yrs.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOP CIVIL SERVANTS AND POLITICAL CLASS

• Top civil servant comprises of permanent secretary, director general,directors,deputy directors, assistant directors, head of departments and other high rank officers.

• The political class is made of ministers/commissioners, board chairman and members.

• The civil servant are employees of the ministry while the ministers and the board are political appointees and they coordinate the activities of the ministry

• Policy making: Civil servants think out the best way of doing the work in the course of policy formulation---The minister may reject or accept such proposal.

• Experience/Expertise: The civil servants are experienced and knowledgeable in their area while the minister knows little or nothing about the ministry

ASSIGNMENT

• Define the term civil service commission.• Explain six functions of the commission.• Identify four ways of improving the efficiency of

the commission• References: New approach in Government by

Oyediran et al pg111-116• Modern government for senior sec. school by

Echefu S.pg74-78• Essential Government by cc Dibie pg122-124