Written by Hauwa Anaja AbuEuro zone finance ministers have approved Greece’s reform plan, paving the way for a four-month extension of the country’s financial rescue program, a Greek finance ministry official said on Tuesday.“The Eurogroup teleconference is over and the Greek reform plan was approved,” a Greek finance ministry official said after the ministers held a conference call to discuss the detailed list of measures submitted by Athens late on Monday.&nbsp;The six-page document from Athens rowed back on campaign promises to halt privatisation, boost welfare spending and raise the minimum wage.It also pledged to consult partners before key reforms are implemented, and keep them budget-neutral.

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Eurozone economy sees growth pick up   –   The eurozone economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 0.3% in the last three months of 2014, figures show.

Eurozone economy sees growth pick up

On the face of it, public administration is usually taken to mean “the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of government operations.” This conception would very often direct and tend to limit attention to the institutions of public administration vis-à-vis their design, structure, managers and their capacity to do what they are designed to do. But a much more robust view of the concept would also involve the context, or what could be variously described as the ecology, within which those activities referred to as public administration

Public Administration & Service Reforms

Full List of New Nigerian Ministers and their Portfolios



List of New Nigerian Ministers

Eurozone economy grows 1.5% in 2015 –  The economies of the 19 countries that use the euro expanded by 1.5% in 2015.

Eurozone economy grows 1.5% in 2015

Nigeria signs financing deal for 36 oil wells

Supporting Nigeria’s Homegrown Reforms: New World Bank Financing for Inclusive Growth and Revenue Diversification

Eurozone economy sees growth pick up – The eurozone economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 0.3% in the last three months of 2014, figures show.European statistics agency Eurostat also said gross domestic product (GDP) in the currency bloc rose by 0.9% across 2014 as a whole.Figures released earlier showed Germany’s economy – the largest in the eurozone – grew by 0.7% in the three months to the end of December.But France’s economy grew by just 0.1% in the same period.Of the 18 member states of the eurozone only three recorded a contraction in their economy: Greece, Finland and Cyprus.In the case of Greece the 0.2% contraction in the economy in the fourth quarter came after three consecutive quarters of growth. That disappointed analysts, who had been expecting the figures to show the economy growing again.“This means that there is a high chance that Greece will slip back into recession, especially after the huge uncertainty brought about by the election and subsequent bail-out dispute, which is ongoing,” said Azad Zangana, senior European economist at Schroders.Greece’s newly-elected government is currently trying to re-negotiate the conditions of its €240bn (£182bn) bailout from the eurozone, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which it feels are punitive.Courtesy:Robert Peston, BBC News13 February 2015

<a href="PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & SERVICE REFORMS by Tunji Olaopa (See from Source)" target="_blank">PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION &amp; SERVICE REFORMS by Tunji Olaopa (See from Source)</a>&nbsp;On the face of it, public administration is usually taken to mean “the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of government operations.” This conception would very often direct and tend to limit attention to the institutions of public administration vis-à-vis their design, structure, managers and their capacity to do what they are designed to do. But a much more robust view of the concept would also involve the context, or what could be variously described as the ecology, within which those activities referred to as public administration take place for this determines to a far greater extent the success or failure of public administration. This perhaps makes the discourse more relevant to Nigeria which is the focus of the book under review, Public Administration and Civil Service Reforms in Nigeria, writtenby Dr Tunji Olaopa.The context of public administration would quickly shift emphasis on to the time-honoured but infamous realm of politics and the state. Certainly, and in accordance with the pluralist argument, the state is not the only realm where politics takes place. However, notwithstanding the objection of the pluralists, the state remains the quintessential realm within which the distinguishing feature, specific to the political, can be best apprehended. The book delves into the theories of public administration, and to what extent these have shaped its practice in Nigeria, and how and why the practice of public administration in the country have brought about the need for reforms of the civil service.The nine-chapter book is a good and balanced compendium on Nigeria’s public administration as it traces its evolution way back to before the country’s independence in the colonial era to the present times. It also examines its prospects and challenges, and offers solutions to the myriad of problems that plague Nigeria’s public administration.Chapter One, “Theories of Public Administration”, is a comprehensive exploration of the theories of public administration from the classical to the human relations, the behavioural, system theory, up to the current orthodoxy, the New Public Management (NPM). The rather detailed examination of administrative theories in this chapter offers a necessary historical trajectory of the theoretical evolution of public administration up to the NPM which constitutes the theoretical framework for the book.Chapter Two, “The Civil Service and the Ideas of Reform and Professionalism”, narrows the focus a little to the civil service and the idea of professionalism. Here, the book explores how the concept of civil service came about, and how civil servants came to be conceived as professionals with the attendant ethos and values that go with it. There is also a brief look at various liberal economic theories of civil service as they evolved to be the driving forces for continuous administrative reforms up to the emergence of the NPM, which is a more radical departure from what is generally conceived to be the normal, continuous administrative reforms that bureaucracies constantly embark upon (pp. 38-49). A focus on the NPM as the current global reform blueprint is a connecting theme of the first two chapters.Chapter Three, “Survey of the Development of Public Administration in Nigeria”, traces three phases of administrative development in Nigeria vis-à-vis the era of colonial tutelage, the era of institutional transfer, and the period of home rule. Here, an insight is also provided into the contributions of scholars, professionals, professional bodies, and training institutions to the development of public administration in the country.Chapter Four, “Evolution of the Nigerian Civil Service and Reform Initiatives”, sheds light on the origin of the Nigerian civil service. It traces its history to its colonial origin as an institution that was modeled on the British civil service as part of the “migrated social structures” (Ekeh, 1980) from metropolitan Europe. It also follows the course of its development from the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954, which effectively established regional civil services in the country, to the acceleration of Nigerianization, through the short-lived First Republic, to the beginning of military rule in 1966. The chapter highlights the fact that the military began to tinker with the civil service right from the start, as witnessed by the promulgation of Decree 34 in May 1966 by the Aguiyi Ironsi regime, which unified the hitherto regional civil service structure. This was followed later by reform commissions –Adebo and Udoji commissions – set up under the Yakubu Gowon government.There was also the 1988 civil service reform of General Ibrahim Babangida, and the 1995 Ayida Reform Panel constituted by the Sanni Abacha regime. It has been the case that virtually every military regime in Nigeria, except those whose stay in power was too brief, tinkered with the civil service in one way or the other in the name of reform, with the attendance consequences many of which are unwholesome to the performance capacity of the service. The chapter closes with a chronicle of some of these negative impacts of military rule on the civil service in the country (pp. 141-146).Chapter Five, “The State and Public Administration in Nigeria” examines the context of public administration in Nigeria. By devoting this chapter to the discussion on the state and public administration in Nigeria, the book gives a deserved recognition to the political dimension of any reform process. Unlike the position held by classical administration theorists, typified by Woodrow Wilson –now widely recognized as flawed –which called for a strict dichotomy between politics and administration, Dr Olaopa emphasizes the strong nexus between the two, and therefore, advocates as a necessary requirement for the success of reform that it encompasses both the technical, and the political, which is best embodied by the state as “a core element in the organisation of a society” (p.147). The emphasis on the state in the reform process is particularly pertinent as the relevance of the state to its citizens is defined by the competency, effectiveness, and efficiency of its public administration apparatuses, just as the latter are affected and indeed determined by the nature and character of the state. In this regard, the chapter raises quite appropriate and intriguing questions as to the kind of state that is promotive of development.Using Nigeria as its focal point, the author goes on to shed light on the character of the Nigerian state and the consequential impact of this upon the public administration institutions. He then goes on to emphasize the importance of building a capable state in Nigeria while also noting the crucial role of political leadership in that enterprise.Chapter Six, “The Obasanjo Civil Service Renewal Programme, 1999-2007”, examines the rather comprehensive civil service reform of the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian regime. The Obasanjo government came to power against the background of Nigeria’s emergence from years of destructive military rule, severe economic depression, serious crisis in governance and public administration, international isolation, and the spreading wave of democratization-cum market economy accompanied by the NPM revolution. The preceding 15 years of military rule had wreaked so much havoc on virtually all the facets of the country’s public life that Nigeria required a root and branch transformation to get back in shape. This is the context that set the Obasanjo government on the path of reform. The chapter surveys the background to the reform, digging into the monumental challenges that confronted the regime and the vision of the leadership for lifting the country out of the doldrums and taking it to its El-Dorado. Highlighting the NEEDS implementation framework for the reform, it provides elucidation on the various components of the reform plan, and concludes with a detailed critique of the reform strategy and programme (p. 179).Chapter Seven, “The SERVICOM Initiative in Perspective”, puts the SERVICOM initiative in perspective – a very important NPM element of the Obasanjo renewal reform – and plunges into its nitty-gritty as a service delivery initiative. It offers an exposition on the SERVICOM structure, on its use as a performance measurement index with details on how the measurement is done (pp. 212-213). It also touches on the achievements of SERVICOM and its challenges with a lot more details than can be justifiably dealt with in a few pages of review.Chapter Eight, “Civil Service Reforms and the Yar’Adua Administration”, brings the book up to speed on the efforts of the current administration along the reform path. As a follow-on from the Obasanjo reform, the Yar’Adua government adopts a 7-point Agenda as a fulcrum around which its reform would revolve. The chapter thus explores the continued emphasis of the government on building a capable and viable civil service towards achieving the goal of development. It is acknowledged that being only two years in office (as at the time of writing the book), it would be difficult to assess conclusively the reform measures put in place by the administration. Nonetheless, Dr Olaopa takes up some of the steps that the administration had already instituted, especially in view of the president’s commitment to the principle of “rule of law” and “servant-leadership” (p. 229). Within the context of the NPM the chapter addresses itself well to the crucial role of the permanent secretary as a manager/chief executive in ensuring an effective civil service in the country (p. 238).Chapter Nine, “Elements of an Optimal Public Administration System Model for the Nigerian Federal Civil Service: The Way Forward: A Conclusion”, addresses the important structural and behavioural issues that need to be taken on board in redefining the Federal Civil Service for enhanced performance. These structural and behavioural issues are embodied in what the author calls the Optimal System Model. The elements of the Model which he recommends are: (a) changing the cadre or pools system to functional fields of specialization; (b) establishment/workforce control and management of growth of the service; (c) establishment of professional and ethical values in the conduct of government business; (d) installation of integrated public service human resources information system; (e) professionalisation of personnel administration function at the centre and line ministries level; (f) new training policy and leadership development; (g) institution of a new career/professional development scheme; (h) institution of a new system of performance management/staff appraisal and promotion systems; (i) new pay, compensations and incentive system; (j) abolition of the executive cadre and limiting of career protection to senior posts; (k) creation of a senior executive service; and (l) modernization of systems and processes using e-government solutions.The structural and behavioural issues are useful and appropriate as they are in keeping with public sector reforms being undertaken in other African countries. They are also in tune with current trends in countries like the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.Overall, Dr Olaopa’s book offers a robust exploration, on the one hand, of the problems and challenges of public administration, and on the other, the problems and prospects of reform. The book could be said to contain the two key elements in confronting the issues of public administration: the technical/organizational dimension, and the ecological/political dimension. While the first four chapters deal exhaustively with the first dimension, chapters five to eight address the latter dimension. Using Nigeria as a case study, the sections on the state and public administration, the Obasanjo renewal programme, the SERVICOM initiative, and the Yar’Adua administration put the issue of public administration reform in their proper political and leadership context. They establish a connection between the state, visionary and good leadership, effective public administration institutions, satisfactory service delivery, and legitimacy, thus situating the whole reform project within their proper democratic governance context. Hence, the book provides a very rich material on public administration and reform especially with particular reference to Nigeria.Public Administration and Civil Service Reforms in Nigeria is not only rich in pointing out the weaknesses of prevailing reform programmes, but also comes up with alternatives, where necessary, and ways of fixing the weaknesses identified. Thus its closing chapter offers an optimal public administrative model for the civil service in Nigeria. It does not only put forward the model, but gives a careful, step-by-step account of how the model is to be incorporated into the Nigerian system; and in this, Dr Olaopa sits pretty well as a practitioner with insider knowledge of the workings of the system.The book, Public Administration and Civil Service Reforms in Nigeria, is a must read for scholars, students and practitioners not only in Nigeria but also other African countries. It is easy to read and follow. The issues addressed are crucial and debated over in both the theoretical, comparative and empirical literature.

Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)–TransportationChris Ngige (Anambra)–Labour and EmploymentKayode Fayemi (Ekiti)–Solid MineralsBabatunde Fashola (Lagos)–Power, Works and HousingAbdulrahman Dambazau (Kano)–InteriorAisha Alhassan (Taraba)–Women AffairsOgbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi)–Science and TechnologyKemi Adeosun (Ogun)–FinanceAbubakar Malami (Kebbi)–JusticeHadi Sirika (Katsina)–State for AviationSuleiman Adamu (Jigawa)–Water ResourcesSolomon Dalong (Plateau)–Youths and SportsIbe Kachikwu (Delta)–State for PetroleumOsagie Ehanire (Edo)–State for HealthAudu Ogbeh (Benue)–AgricultureUdo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom)–Budget and National PlanningLai Mohammed (Kwara)–InformationAmina Mohammed (Gombe)–EnvironmentIbrahim Usman Jibril (Nasarawa)–State, EnvironmentAnthony Onwuka (Imo), State for EducationMuhammadu Bello (Adamawa)–FCTAdamu Adamu (Bauchi)–EducationOkechukwu Enelamah (Abia)–Industry Trade and InvestmentAisha Abubakar (Sokoto) State for Trade, Industry and InvestmentKhadija Bukar Abba (Yobe), State for Foreign AffairsClaudius Daramola (Ondo)–State, Niger DeltaGeoffrey Onyeama (Enugu)–Foreign AffairsMonsur Dan-Ali (Zamfara)–DefenceJames Ocholi (Kogi), State for LabourZainab Ahmed (Kaduna), State for BudgetMustapha Shehuri (Borno)–State for PowerHeineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)–State for AgricIsaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun)–HealthUsani Usani Uguru (Cross River)– Niger DeltaAbubakar Bwari Bawa (Niger)–State for Solid MineralsAdebayo Shittu (Oyo)–CommunicationsMuhammadu Buhari–Petroleum

<div><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/threepsmars/image/upload/v1662041667/f1pc3h4o6rmqv0vfwdsf.png" alt=""> </div>Eurozone economy grows 1.5% in 2015 – The economies of the 19 countries that use the euro expanded by 1.5% in 2015.In the last three months of the year, they grew 0.3%, compared with the previous three months, according to the statistics agency Eurostat.&nbsp;The 28 countries of the EU also grew 0.3% in the fourth quarter, to a GDP growth rate of 1.8% for the full year.Growth slowed during 2015, suggesting that more action may be needed to stimulate economies from the European Central Bank (ECB).“We continue to think that further monetary easing is required, with further policy rate cuts on the cards from March onwards,” said Nick Kounis, economist at ABN Amro.Eurostat also announced on Friday that industrial production had fallen 1% in December compared with the previous month, both for the eurozone and the EU.Year on year, it fell 1.3% in the eurozone and 0.8% in the EU.Second quarter of Greek contractionThe biggest contraction in GDP came in Greece, where the economy shrank 0.6% in the fourth quarter, which was better than had been expected.But the contraction in the third quarter turned out to have been bigger than previously thought, being revised from 0.9% to 1.4%.Analysis: Andrew Walker, economics correspondentSeveral eurozone governments following austerity policies have faced protests on the streets and at the ballot box.But could it have been a little easier?That is where Germany comes in. There certainly is a view that Germany has in effect made it harder than it need have been.How so? Germany surely is the seat of eurozone financial prudence and virtue? Well, there is a case that those features of Germany are a problem for the others.The German economy expanded by 0.3% in the final three months of 2015, to an annual rate of 1.7%. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-35557883" target="_blank">Read more (BBC News)</a>&nbsp;

Nigeria signs financing deal for 36 oil wells<div><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/threepsmars/image/upload/v1662268678/kgum7zy62ncvnymyhqde.png" alt=""> </div>Nigeria‘s oil firm NNPC said Sunday it had signed a deal with a consortium of local and foreign lenders to develop 36 oil wells that would also boost domestic power generation in Africa’s largest crude producer.NNPC has secured “a $1.2 billion multi-year drilling and financing package for 36 offshore/onshore oil wells,” the firm said in a statement.The NNPC said the deal signed in London at the weekend would swell the country’s coffers and help to maintain current production levels as well as replace depleting reserves.Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings but the nation’s economy has been badly hurt by the fall in global oil prices since mid-2014.<a href="https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_bc80fe48-20ee-4e99-a895-3acb18f3e8ac#HVZPmes" target="_blank">You can read more:</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2024 – The World Bank has today approved two operations: $1.5 billion for the Nigeria Reforms for Economic Stabilization to Enable Transformation (RESET) Development Policy Financing Program (DPF) and $750 million for the Nigeria Accelerating Resource Mobilization Reforms (ARMOR) Program-for-Results (PforR). This combined $2.25 billion package provides immediate financial and technical support to Nigeria’s urgent efforts to stabilize the economy and scale up support to the poor and most economically at risk. It further supports Nigeria’s ambitious, multi-year effort to raise non-oil revenues and safeguard oil revenues to promote fiscal sustainability and provide sufficient resources to deliver quality public services.Confronted with a fragile economic situation, Nigeria recognized the urgency of changing course and embarked on critical reforms to address economic distortions and strengthen the fiscal outlook. Initial critical steps to restore macroeconomic stability, boost revenues, and create the conditions to reignite growth and poverty reduction have been taken. These include unifying the multiple official exchange rates and fostering a market-determined official rate, as well as sharply adjusting gasoline prices to begin to phase out the costly, regressive, and opaque gasoline subsidy. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has refocused on its core mandate of price stability and is tightening monetary policy including by increasing interest rates, as is appropriate to reduce inflation. A targeted cash transfer program is being rolled out to cushion the impact of high inflation on the poor and economically insecure households.“We have embarked on bold and necessary reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and put the country back on a sustainable and inclusive economic growth path that will create quality jobs and economic opportunities for all Nigerians,” said Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. “We welcome the support of the RESET and ARMOR programs as we further consolidate and implement our macro-fiscal and social protection policy reforms, consistent with accelerating investment and redirecting public resources sustainably to achieve development priorities.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“Nigeria’s concerted efforts to implement far-reaching macro-fiscal reforms place it on a new path which can stabilize its economy and lift its people out of poverty. It is critical to sustain the reform momentum and continue to scale up and expand protection to the poor and economically at risk to cushion the effects of cost-of-living pressures on citizens,” said Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa. “This financing package reinforces the World Bank’s strong partnership with Nigeria, and our support towards reinvigorating its economy and fast-tracking poverty reduction, which can serve as a beacon for Africa.”The RESET DPF is focused on supporting Nigeria strengthen its economic policy framework by creating fiscal space and protecting the poor and economically insecure. The ARMOR PforR will support efforts to implement tax and excise reforms, strengthen tax revenue and customs administrations, and safeguard oil revenues.*The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. IDA resources help effect positive change in the lives of the 1.6 billion people living in the countries that are eligible for its assistance. Since its inception, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments are constantly on the rise and have averaged $21 billion over the past three years, with about 61% going to Africa.SOURCE: <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/06/13/supporting-nigeria-homegrown-reforms-new-world-bank-financing-for-inclusive-growth-and-revenue-diversification?cid=afw_tt_nigeria_en_ext" target="_self">World Bank Group</a>&nbsp;<h1>PRESS RELEASE NO: 2024/076/AFW</h1><h1>Contacts</h1>In Abuja:Mansir Nasir, +234 8033546639 mnasir2@worldbank.orgMaryam Laushi, +234 7034044857 mlaushi@worldbankgroup.org