IMPACT OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC ENTERPRISE

Introduction

1.0 Background To The Study

Raising and utilizing funds efficiently and effectively has been a major source of concern to all financial managers both in the corporate world and Public Sector all over the world. The prime purpose of establishing a firm is to ensure that returns will not only be sufficient to meet the cost of funds but also enough to satisfy the wealth of maximization objective of the firm, thus, raising finance for corporate bodies has become important.

Financial management can thus be described as the managerial planning and controlling of financial resources of a business to achieve the objectives of the business. It has long been considered as a branch .of economics but in the early 20th century it emerged as a separate discipline. It can also be defined as the identification of the possible strategies capable of maximizing an organizations net present value, the allocation of scarce resources among the competing opportunities, and the implementation and monitoring of the chosen strategy so as to achieve stated objectives.

Financial management as a subject is of growing interest to both academics and financial managers. On its emergence, it dealt with only the instruments, institutions and procedures in the capital market. It later dealt with keeping records and reports, establishing funds (external financing) monitoring cash position and paying bills. It also deals with the concepts, assumptions, principle and techniques underlying the major financial decisions of the enterprises. Financial management connotes responsibility for obtaining and effectively utilizing the funds necessary for the efficient operation of an enterprise. The finance function centre around the management of funds, raising and using them effectively. It therefore covers all functions concerned in attempting to ensure that financial resources are obtained and used in the most effective way to secure attainment of the objectives of the organization.

It provides the background for thorough understanding of the nature, theories and critical issues relating to modern financial management. It thus serves as a necessary background to a more advanced treatment of the investment financial decision.

Financial management today now includes a rigorous analysis of Investment of organization’s funds in assessing and obtaining the best mix of financial and dividend in relation to overall market valuation of a firm.

The field is still changing with ideas and techniques. The historical background of the company under review is thus:

NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM COMPANY (N. N. P. C) was established on April 1977 under the statutory instrument decree No. 33 of the same year by a merger of the Nigeria National Oil Corporation operational functions and the ministry of mines and power with its regulating responsibility, this decree established NNPC, a public organization that would on behalf of government adequately manage all government interest in the Nigeria oil industry.

In addition to its exploration activities, the corporation was given powers and operational interest in refining petrochemicals and products transportation as well as marketing. Between 1978-1989, NNPC constructed refineries in Warri, Kaduan and Port Harcourt and took over 35,000 barrel shell refinery established in Port Harcourt in 1965.

In 1988, the NNPC was commercialized into 12 strategic business units covering the entire spectrum of oil industry operations: exploration and production gas development, refining, distribution, petrochemical engineering and commercial investment.

The subsidiary companies include:

1. National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPISMS)
2. Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)
3. The Nigerian Gas Company (NGC)
4. The Products and Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC)
5. Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL)
6. Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNGN)
7. National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO)
8. Hydrocarbon Services Nigeria Limited (HYSON)
9. Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Co. Limited (WRPC)
10. Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Co. Limited (KRPC)
11. Port-Harcourt Refining Co. Limited (PHRC)
12. Eleme Petrochemicals Co. Limited (EPCC)

In addition to these subsidiaries, the industry is also regulated by the department of petroleum resources (DPR) a department within the ministry of Petroleum resources. The DPR ensures compliance with industry regulations processes applications for licenses, leases and permits establishes and enforces environmental regulations. The DPR and NAPIMS playa very crucial role in the day to day activities throughout the industry.

The NNPC is by law a joint venture between the Nigerian Federal Government and a Number of foreign multinational corporations, which includes Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Agip, Total fina Elf, Chevron and Texaco (though now merged with chevron). Through collaboration with these companies, the Nigerian government conducts petroleum exploration and development.

According to the Nigerian constitution, all minerals, Gas and oil the country possesses are legally the property of the Nigeria Federal Government.

1.1 Statement Of The Problem

Public finance is closely connected to issues of income distribution. Resources generation, resources allocation, expenditure management are the essential component of the public financial management system.

Most of the time, resources collected from the economy are inefficiently and ineffectively utilized which constitute poor financial management.

Financial information relating to the operations of the joint ventures are not in the public domain, most public enterprises have no audited account and not been audited in several years.

Public enterprise are poorly managed, and highly unreported with their financial information either unavailable unreliable where such financial information are available, or questionable at best. They are broken and has become liabilities their nations. They have a huge debt profile, hidden financial records and obviously unable to meet their financial obligations.

To achieve transparent government, this question must be answered,; How can financial poor financial management be eliminated in public enterprises?

1.2 Objective Of The Study

1. To identify how financial management play a major role in the public sector.
2. To examine how public enterprises has minimized share holders wealth

1.3 Research Questions

1. Does financial management play a major role in the public sector?
2. To what extent has public enterprises minimized shareholders wealth?

1.4 Statement Of Hypothesis

The hypothesis designed to solve problems identified in public enterprises (a case study of NNPC)

Hypothesis to be tested

1. Ho:- Financial management does not play major role in a Public Sector.
   Hi: Financial management play a major impact in a Public Sector.
2. Ho: Public enterprises does not maximize stakeholders wealth.
   Hi: Public enterprises maximize stakeholders wealth

1.5 Significance Of The Study

The purpose of this study is aimed at studying the relevance of financial management and its contributions in an enterprises. This would be appreciated when it is remembered that in a business concern organized to produce a profitable return to those who have invested in it (stakeholders), the objectives of management is to maximize such returns, and financial management is a technique that can be of assistance in attaining such maximization.

The significance of this study will be appreciated in the following area which includes:

1. Merit of having a suitable financial management in a public enterprise.
2. To show the effectiveness of financial management in the public enterprise.
3. To show that financial management helps in the co­ordination of other sectors in an enterprise.
4. It could also serve as a reference point to those who might want to carry out research in similar areas of study.

1.6 Scope Or Delimitation Of The Study

The scope of the project is limited to a public enterprise. For the purpose of this study, the scope will cover the role of financial management and its relevance in a public enterprise. All investigation and researches of this write up shall be limited to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Where facts on the role played by financial management would be highlighted. This project will be limited by time constraint and financial constraint and also non-co­operation on the part of the workers.

1.7 Definition Of Terms

Financial Management:

The managerial planning and control of financial resources of a business to achieve the objectives of the business

Financial Managers:

This is a key manager who is responsible for the day to day financial services and record keeping of the organization.

Investment Decision:

This involves the identification of viable projects using various techniques to determine those that are viable.

Financing Decision:

This involves the identification of the appropriate sources of finance that would be used to finance the projects. Dividend Decisions: this is the determination of the appropriate amount to be paid as dividend and the profit that would be ploughed back to finance expansion in the company.

Stakeholders:

This is a coalition of a group of people that has a stake in what the company does. It comprises of equity shareholders, preference shareholders, lenders, employees, suppliers and customers.

Public Enterprise:

These are governmental organizations which are “Un in the interest of the society as a whole and they might be a gap between the benefits they provide to society and the cost of their operation.

Finance:

This is the management of money (i.e. The management of the flows of money through an organization and claims against money)

Objectives:

This states precisely what is to be achieved and when the results are to be accomplished.