The Nigerian Federal Civil Service Commission (FRCS)
Federal Civil Service Commission (FRCS) is one of the oldest public commissions in Nigeria having first been established as the Public Service Commission in 1951 under the Macpherson Constitution.
All Nigerian constitutions have since then made provision for the commission. The 1999 Constitution, in particular, provides for the establishment of a Federal Civil Service Commission which comprises a chairman and 15 members.
The Constitution stipulates that the members of the commission must be people of unquestionable integrity and sound political judgment
The Commission deals with the appointment, promotion, dismissal and discipline of civil servants in the federal civil service who are below the grade of Director.
It is not clear whether the Federal Civil Service Commission takes notice of basic national objectives in its recruitment drive for it would appear that there is no good relationship between the size of the civil service and a capacity to deliver basic services to the larger populace.
There is poor service delivery at all levels of the service as basic social services such as good roads, portable water, regular electricity supply and security of life and proper are hardly available.
The former Obasanjo Government had, on several occasions criticized the poor performance of the service. To address the problem, the Federal Government set up a Public Service Reform Commission in 2004 to assist in refocusing the service.
Moreover, the Nigerian Federal Government has decided to trim down the size of the civil service which is put at 160,000. About 33,000 civil servants were retired in 2006. The action of the government calls to question the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commission.
It also brings to the fore the inability of the commission to apply civil service rules without fear or favour.
