Organizational Culture and Civil Service Performance in Nigeria: A Study of Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education (2010-2021)

Abstract

Civil service unlike any other public organizations is glued by norms and culture that regulate workers behavior and attitudes toward efficiency. These culture and principles serve as mode of operation upon which duties, offices are bound. Hence, employed are expected to adhere to the established norms of organization for efficiency service deliver. However, based on the above highlight, the civil service in Nigeria cannot be said to have up to its expectation of delivery qualify services to the people that will further help the government deliver on its mandate. This poor performance could be traced to low morale and weak morale which makes workers to neglect the culture and principles of the Civil Service which is anchored on meritocracy, impartiality, anonymity etc. The civil service in Nigeria still reels in politicization, merit sacrificed for quota-based recruitment/promotion, fraudulent staff claims, abuse of office/position, bribery and corruption, absenteeism, lateness, lack of organizational commitment, insubordination, aggrandizement etc. The paper adopted survey and descriptive research method and data were drawn from both primary and secondary sources. It was found out that the civil service is currently bedeviled with poor organizational culture and practices such from lateness, insubordination, lack of commitment to work, undue interference from the political office holders and other myriad of systemic problems. Based on the findings, the study concluded with some policy recommendations that civil service principles and culture should be highly adhered to by the civil servants which will in turn usher in the most needed productivity in the service. Keywords: Civil service, Culture, Organizational Culture, and Performance.