TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Objective of the Study 4
1.4 Research Questions 4
1.5 Justification for the Study 4
1.6 Scope of the Study 5
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms 5
1.8 Plan of Work 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.0 Introduction 7
2.1 Conceptual Clarification of Reform 7
2.2 Civil Service Reform/AdministrativeReform 8
2.2.1 Approaches of Civil service reform 10
2.2.2 Civil Service Reform and Good Governance 13
2.3 Brief Overview of Civil Reform in Liberia 15
2.3.1 Composition of the Liberian Civil Service 18
2.3.2 Structure and Functions of the Liberian civil Service 19
2.4 The 2008 Civil Service reform in Liberia: A Transition from
Conflict to Better Service 20
2.4.1 Highlights of the 2008 Civil Service Reform in Liberia 24
2.5 Imperatives of the Reform in Liberia 29
2.6 Impediments to Service Delivery in the Public Sector 30
2.7 Political Will of the Government of Liberia to the Reform 32
2.8 Sustainability of the Civil Service Reform Liberia 34
2.9 Theoretical Framework 37
2.9.1 The Relevance of the Theory the Work 38
2.10 Gaps in Literature 39
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 41
3.1 Research Design 41
3.2 Population 41
3.3 Sample size and sampling Technique 42
3.4 Method of Data Collection 43
3.5 Sources of Data 43
3.6 Instrument of the Study 44
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 45
3.8 Validity of the Instrument 45
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 45
3.10 Ethical Consideration 45
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction 46
4.1 Objective One 51
4.2 Objective Two 53
4.3 Objective Three 56
4.4 Objective Four 59
4.5 Discussion of Findings 61
Content Page
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 66
5.2 Conclusion 68
5.3 Recommendations 68
5.4 Contribution to Knowledge 70
5.5 Limitation of the Study 70
5.6 Suggestion for Further Studies 71
References 72
Appendix 79
LIST OF TABLES
3.2 Population 41
3.3.1 Sample Size Distribution 43
3.9 Cronbach Alpha 45
4.1.1 Coordination of service delivery before the 2008 51
4.1.2 Road Connectivity before the 2008 Civil Service Reform 51
4.1.3 Access to Quality Education prior to the 2008 Civil Reform 52
4.1.4 Health delivery service in Liberia prior to 2008 Reform 52
4.1.5 Service delivery in Liberia before the 2008 reform 53
4.2.1 Redundancy on better service delivery in Liberia 53
4.2.2 Rightsizing of employees 54
4.2.3 Removal of Ghost Names 54
4.2.4 Policy Enactment of Downsizing 55
4.2.5 Process of Restructuring in Liberia 55
4.3.1 Amalgamation of government’s ministerial Structures 56
4.32 Reorganization of Government’s Ministerial Structures 56
4.3.3 Government restructuring policy on Governance 57
4.3.4 Streamlining government ministerial structures 57
4.3.5 Merger of Government ministerial Structures 58
4.4.1 The lack of “Political Will” 59
4.4.2 The Advancement of Corruption 59
4.4.3 Nepotism in the Civil Service 60
4.4.4 Mediocrity of Employees in the Civil Service 60
4.4.5 Sustainabilityof the Reform 61
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
4.1 Organization 46
4.2 Employment Level 47
4.3 Gender 48
4.4 Ages 48
4.5 Marital Status 49
4.5 Educational Qualification 50
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Rebuilding public administration becomes an urgent reform of government in nations like Liberia recouping from civil war, insurrections, or outside military invasions. Rebuilding a vibrant administration is at the crux of post-conflict reconstruction (Rondinelli, 2006). The assertion offered by Rondinelli (2006), is confirmed by the creation of the Governance Commission of Liberia in August 2003 amid the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). One of the central guidelines of Governance Commission is to advance reform, proficiency, and transparency in the public sector of Liberia thereby suggesting rationalization of institutional orders and structures; coordination, capacity building and designed an appropriate merit-based system (GC, 2003).
Anazodo, Okoye, and Emma (2012) affirmed that countries throughout the world are presently in the corridor to construct a resilient civil service that will adequately give the proficient and viable service delivery that reinforces establishments and add to the adequacy and efficiencies of a nation’s developmental activities. Public sector reform of which civil service reform is a subset is one of the critical elements that strengthens institutions and contribute to the effectiveness and efficiencies of a country’s public sector leading to developmental activities (Zazay, 2015). Kwaghga (2010) characterized the civil service as a collection of men and ladies who utilized their capacities on a non-political basis as ordered by the positions which they occupy in the bureaucracy, fundamentally, they are charged to render basic social services, and also plan and execute the approaches of the government. Civil service as a body ought to be neutral in administering their assigned obligations as far governance is concerned.
Civil service reform is an activity that enhances the proficiency, efficiency, refined skill, representativity and democratic character of a civil service, which is premised on the enhancement of better public service delivery of depended public goods and services, along these lines advancing accountability, which is one of the elements of good governance (Rao, 2013). As indicated by Repucci (2014) civil service reform is one of the most obstinate yet important challenges for governments and their supporters today.
Mutahaba and Kiragu (2002) asserted that the force that propelled the wave of Public Sector Reform (PSR) in Africa, just like the case in other developing nations, emerged out of the macroeconomic and financial reforms that were introduced and supported by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Unlike the first wave of reform that was instituted by the World bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was entrenched in the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), as was asserted by Mutahaba and Kiragu (2002,) in the case of Liberia, several years of civil upheaval in Liberia decimated the agency and demolished the merit instituted recruiting framework by disregarding standards and methods of employment thus recruiting unprofessional individuals of different warring factions that exacerbated the civil decadence. As the result of an unprofessional system, the civil service was evident by a disorganized service delivery that negatively affected the full implementation of policies and programs, consequently leading to inadequate service delivery in Liberia (Nyemah, 2009).