RATIONAL APPLICATION OF FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION: A PANACEA FOR NIGERIA’S SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Cornelius Chukwudi Mba (PhD), Felicia Osondu Okwueze (PhD)

Abstract


The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of application of the federal character principle in the distribution and execution of development projects across the Nigeria federation. The study hypothesizes that significant relationship exist between rational application of the federal character principle in development administration across the federation and attainment of sustainable national development in Nigeria. The study adopts the Group theory as its theoretical framework. It employed both primary and secondary data (questionnaire, oral interviews, field observation and documented reports). Seven hundred and sixty-one (761) workers in the project implementation units of some federal ministries randomly selected constitute the sample. The relationship between the variables was established with the aid of regression analysis using SPSS 19 econometric package. Analysis of variance was employed to test whether the application of federal character principles in national development projects’ implementation has been rationally complied with in order to ensure sustainable national development in Nigeria. The findings include: there is moderate positive relationship between sustainable national development and application of federal character principles in development administration across the country (correlation coefficient = 0.463); application of federal character principle account 21.5% of the variance in sustainable national development attainment across the federation; rational application of federal character in national development administration contribute significantly to sustainable national development attainment across the federation; among others. The study recommends: strict, rational and meticulous adherence to the spirit and letters of the federal character principle in the distribution and implementation of development projects across the county by the federal government; legal empowerment of the federal character commission to verify and certify the rationality and equity in the implementation of projects before their commencement and in the course of the implementation, should monitor the level of seriousness in their execution; removal of interest politics in the selection, distribution and implementation of projects by political leaders so as to avoid marginalization of some sections of the country and lopsidedness in national development administration; among others. The study concludes that the rational application of federal character principle in development administration is a panacea for attaining sustainable development in Nigeria.  

Keywords


Federal Character Principle Application, Development Administration, Sustainable National Development

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