Contemporary Issues On Public Policy Analysis In Nigeria

Nigerians love to debate. Even under colonial rule, the authorities realised that Nigerians could not be repressed and that they always expressed their views on topical issues of development. The topical issues that have driven Nigeria's political economy include Constitution and Constitutionalism, Democracy, the National Question, Civil-Military Relations, Federalism, State and Nation-Building, Local Governance, Leadership, the Role of Traditional Rulers, the Economy and Religion.This volume is a selection of some of Professor Elaigwu's contributions to these debates. In it, Elaigwu, a leading Nigerian political scientist, argues that the challenges facing the country are not unsurmountable and that Nigerians must take the destiny of their country in their hands and look inwards to deal with the country's weaknesses while strengthening her capacity and resolve to become an industrialised and powerful country within a limited space of time.

Public policy analysis has been an area of great interest in Political Science and Public Administration. The contributions of scholars like, Yehezkel Dror, Thomas Dye, Bruce Doern and others have helped to examine the style and approaches that have added to our understanding of public policies. In this collection of fourteen essays, public policy is examined in ranging environments: Greece, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and South Africa. The policies of these countries and some other issues relating to social security, poverty/welfare consumer rights are covered. The first paper introduces us to the differences between public and private policies and shows the importance of giving the right place to the former in the orderly society.