THE SOCIO-POLITICAL FACTORS AFFECTING WORKERS' PERFORMANCE

Introduction

Public corporations by was definition, are those aspects of public sector organizations that engage in commercial and industrial services-public corporation is seen as a corporate body and as part of the governmental apparatus for an entrepreneurial − like objective. (Adamolekun, 2002:28).

Public corporations can equally be called public enterprises or public companies. They can be conceived as enterprises set up by government to perform definite social and economic function for the public. They are set up to achieve some clearly defined goals. The goals which tend to vary with clearly defined goals. The goals which tend to vary with organization, it may be social, economic, political or varied combinations of the social goals and economic goals. Corporation typifies an organization which pursues political, social and economic goals. The social of the public corporation seek among other things, to improve the well-being of the people, develop their socio-cultural life and promote their completeness.

Corporations are the established to provide essential services like water, electricity, transport and telephone, undertake development projects for the overall good of the public.

This research work seeks to look at the socio-political factors which affect the performances of these corporations in the society and proffer solutions to those socio-political problems which will go a long way to boost the economy of the country as well provide employment opportunities, improve the standards of living of people in the society.

1.1 Background Of The Study

Every organization, be it private or public has aims, purpose and objectives for which it was established. It could be profit-oriented or service oriented venture. It could be people oriented in the sense that it has the people in mind. Its services are for the betterment and irrespective of the fact that it makes profit or not. Its public are satisfied through the services it renders.

Public corporations are forces reckoned within the effort to revamp the national economy, especially with good management system. According to the new encyclopedia Britannica (Miclopedia Vol-3), a corporation is an organization chattered under the laws for the purpose of doing business owned by individuals, government and institutions.

They include transport corporation, power holding company (P.H.C) and Water corporation to mention but a few which could be large or small scale business corporations. Public corporations are those aspects of the public sector organization which are established to provide essential services, undertake development projects for the overall good of the public.

In discussing the socio-political factors affecting the performances of workers of Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District, efforts should be made to understand its nature, structure and functions, problems and prospects with special attention on good management and efficiency. As the name goes, they are public oriented and they also boost the economy as well as providing employment to the public. The dual purpose is available. Many public corporation owned by the government are presently fulfilling such aims and objectives. The Nigerian Railway Corporation, Iron and Steel Industries, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Port Authority, Petro-chemical Industries are serving the public in their various capacities as public corporation in all the above, Power Holding Corporation seems to be in great demand on day to day basis.

Administrative Structure (Organism)

Board Of Directors

Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District was established on 31stMay, 2005. The General Administration or hierarchy of the organization is made up of the Board of Director and General Manager. On the left side of the general manager is the secretary of the organization, and below are the various units which include; the management department, marketing department, computer controller department, accounts department, Distribution and Engineering departments.

Different corporations have their own structure slightly different from others in terms of terminology in designating officers. Some corporations choose to apply vertical hierarchy while others adopt horizontal hierarchy in all cases, though the scope of the structure may depend on how big or large the corporation may be, for example, Imo State water corporation has a very large horizontal structure-sometimes horizontal structure appears to demand more personnel than vertical structure because it entails more division of labour but leading to efficiency is a matter of debate.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District encounters, a lot of socio-political problems which affect their performance and these have captivated my interest for this research. These problems inherent in their administrative system that have always affected their performances include the followings:

Political Instability:

Public Corporation can only achieve efficiency when the administrative system maintains high level of continuity of the machinery of state government, that is frequent change of government results in constant change of top officials and rampant change of policies by government.

Frequent interference by government:

A situation whereby the government of the day does not give the corporation free hand to run its affairs and sometimes square pegs in the name of politicians are put in round holes in the corporation.

Corporation:

This is seen as a bane in the Nigeria context. The public corporation has been having problems in the enforcement of financial accountability, thereby resulting to several cases of financial mismanagement embezzlement and corrupt practices. These act have affected the performance of public corporation as they cannot achieve their broad objectives for which they were established.

Poor performance of the corporation caused by the managers and employers which resulted to poor management of fund due to poor planning and management which resulted to waste, poor business decisions and inability to employ qualified employees. Vandalization of facilities: Customers and users of these facilities also cause problem of poor performance of the corporation which include the improper use of these facilities, vandalization of these facilities which is done by some employee and public to punish the management or to dispose them to make money for themselves.

It is noteworthy however that vandalizaton of public facilities has a serious consequence on the survival and growth of any economy. Non and irregular payments of bills by the who in turn expect the corporation to function effectively

Tribalism and Nepotism:

It has become the yard stick for determining who to employ and fire in the corporation. Most important views are looked upon from tribal or ethic implication and not in the interest of the corporation.

Through prudent management of resources our public corporations are likely to perform well. For the corporation to improve, they depend in the policy makers who would formulate sound objective policies that would be workable for the performance the corporation.

Furthermore, government pricing policies also affect the performances of public corporation careful budgeting which is linked with accountability enables corporation enjoy prospective future; so probity and accountability are very important for the corporation to perform effectively.

Finally, the provision of trained manpower, better condition of work and alpoliticization of the corporation is very necessary for efficiency and high productivity in the corporation.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

This research aims at discussing some socio-political factors affecting performance of workers in power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri district and proffer solutions and ways of overcoming those factors.

In this research, the researcher seeks to look at the following objectives:

1. To find out the socio-political factors affecting the performances of workers in Nigerian public corporations.
2. To find out the reasons behind Nigeria workers in effectiveness and unproductiveness.
3. To find out how the management of government facilities by the corporation officials has enhanced continuity, efficiency and effectiveness of public corporation in the society.
4. To find out how effective and component the management of the corporation is.
5. To proffer solutions on ways of overcoming those factors affecting the performance of power holding corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the socio-political factors affecting the performance of workers in Nigeria public corporations?
2. Why are Nigerian workers ineffective and unproductive?
3. How has the management of government facilities by the corporation officials enhanced continuity, efficiency and effectiveness of public corporation in the society?
4. How effective and component is the management of the corporation?
5. What are the solutions to the problems of inefficiency among the workers in Power Holding Corporation Of Nigeria, Owerri District?

1.5 Significance Of The Study

The significance of the study is that, the work will go a long way in solving the socio-political factors affecting the performance of staffs in the public sector especially Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District. This is because having known the socio-political factors affecting the performance of public corporation and the solutions are profound in this work.

Finally, this work will be beneficial to the entire society and future researchers and students in public administration carrying out similar work on this topic.

1.6 Scope Of The Study

This is an investigative research work. It is limited to the areas of socio-political factors that affect the performance of the worker in Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Owerri District the implications of effects of the existence of those factors or non-existence of in our corporation.

This work is going into the area of discovering and checking the gains involved in eradicating those socio-political factors.

1.7 Limitation Of The Study

The researcher encountered so many problems in the course of carrying out the work.

Firstly, there was not enough time to carry out research because the study of this nature involves lot of investigation, also in the process of data collection, some respondents failed to comply. Financial constraint was also one of the major problems the researcher encountered on the course of carrying out the work.

1.8 Definition Of Terms

Public:

The term “Public” according to Chamber Dictionary means “the affairs of the community directed to general to general good”. It is refers to people, their activities their differentials in historical, political, economic, socio-political and geographical locations. The activities of the three aims of government, that is what we call public.

Corporation:

The New Encyclopedia (Miclopedia Vol.2) defined corporation as an organization charted under ….. for the purpose of doing business owned by individuals, government and institutions who have purchased shares representing fraction of the firms holding. Transport, railway, N.N.P.C, P.H.C, Water Board, Airways etc. to mention but a few are examples of corporation.

Corporation is also a semi-autonomous body specialized social or economic service to people.

Performance:

This according to Cambridge International Dictionary of English, is seen as how well a person or machines do a piece of work or activity. It also means how well an organization performs their duties in order to actualize their overall starter objective, aim which enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Problems:

This is said to be anything that seems to drag one’s progress backwards. Something that poses a hindrance to success or progress. In other words, it could be said to be something difficult that militates against the success of any organization in the society.

Socio-political factors:

This means those factors or problems that affect the performances of any organization which could be political instability, corruption, political interference, favoritism, nepotism and tribalism, etc. they are those problems that hinder the success and progress of any organization not to achieve their overall stated objectives and aims.