Public Policy Making and Implementation in Nigeria: Connecting the Nexus

Abstract

Public policy making and implementation is a very critical area that both government and non-governmental organizations are at divergent opinions in the process of making and implementing such programmes and activities. Public policy itself refers to all authorized means devised by government in order to achieve its stated goals and objectives. This can take the form of rendering social services to the community by a governmental agency or ministerial department. Public policy is thus a mechanism used in translating goals/objectives in to practical actions that can affect positively the lives of the people. We have noticed that in Nigeria, the process of policy formulation and implementation is essentially the work of government and its agencies. Whereas in principles the civil society organizations may have roles to play but in practice they are far away from the domain of policy processes. Secondary method of data collection was employed in this study where relevant literature was reviewed and elite’s theory was adopted as framework of analysis. At the end, the study revealed that in Nigeria, there is a missing-link between the government and the public and also the government and its agencies when it come to policy formulation and implementation and that explain why policies grossly fail in Nigeria. Our conclusion was drawn on the premise that, Nigeria’s problem is not policy formulation but that of accurate implementation. The study therefore, recommends among other things that; there should be a very strong connecting link between the elites who are the policy makers and the mass – public. If that is done, it will reduce the tendency of imposed policies from the top. An enabling environment should also be instituted where policy making should be participatory. Public awareness should be created; the civil society groups, professional bodies, organized private sector, and the mass public should be given the opportunity to present their proposals for policy making and implementation there by connecting the nexus between the government and other professional bodies.

Keywords:public policy,process. formulation and implementation