Reform without People in Nigeria: Understanding the Implication of “ownership gap” in implementing the Monetization of Fringe Benefits in Public Sector

Abstract

This paper argues that there is ‘ownership gap’ in the design and implementation of monetized fringe benefits in Nigeria’s public sector. It attributes the gap to alienation of the people in the public sector as well as the failure of government to recognize the self interest factor of individuals at the introduction of the reform regime. Accordingly the paper notes that this caused the inability of the reform to significantly reduce waste, corruption and failed to promote efficiency and accountability in public service provisioning. Theoretically the study used the public choice theory derived from new public management framework to explain the relationship between self interest and the challenges of monetization regime in the public sector. However in conclusion, the paper links the decadence in public service amidst the reform agenda to the factor it describes as a “reform without people” and recommends that Nigerian government should consider the option of learning from private sector organizations that have successfully applied the principles of monetization of fringe benefits of their personnel.

Key Words: Public Sector Reform ,Ownership,Monetization and Fringe-benefits