Accountability and Control Measures in Public Bureaucracy in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria’s Bureaucratic system have been characterized with poor accountability in initiating solution to problems in the society due to neglect of basic features of bureaucracy; which include rationality hierarchy, technical specialization, value system and framework of law and corruption in the Nigeria democratic system which affects national development which necessitate this paper to assess the level of accountability and control measures in public bureaucracy in Nigeria and how its contributes or negates National development. The paper examines among others the nature of Nigeria bureaucracy, control measures of accountability in public offices. The paper adopted the documentary approach using textbooks, journals, internet materials. The paper concludes that all democratic systems of government operate through a system of representative and responsible government and for any government to be responsible, it has to be accountable to its citizens, there must be some means whereby public administrators are obliged to account for the decisions they take and actions which they follow and the ability of citizens to obtain information about government affects their capacity to influence the behaviour of administrative agencies. The paper recommends that; only a well-informed citizenry can make the public service responsive and accountable to its needs and demands, when a government operates in secret, the goals and advantages of openness and transparency are undermined. The civil society, the judiciary, legislature and professional bodies and lobby groups should help to promote responsiveness and accountability in government and the public services.

Keywords: Accountability, Bureaucracy, Control Measures, Transparency and National Development