Sample Material of Current Public Administration Magazine
Accountability and Control
Community Control over Administration
Election
The head of the state is usually elected by the people directly or indirectly. The president of Nigeria and USA are elected directly by the people. But the prime minister in a parliamentary system is the leader of the party returned in majority by the people. The ministers are the members of the legislative and are elected by the people. The top administrative officials are responsible to the elected representatives of the people. In other words, these officials become indirectly responsible to the people and come under their control.
In some countries, like Nigeria, USA and Switzerland, there is the system of electing the administrative officials as well. This system ensures direct popular control over administration but it introduces political consideration into administration and encourages favoritism and patronage. It may also lead to inefficiency and corruption.
Moreover, the people are generally ignorant and hence incapable of assessing the qualification and personal achievements of administrators. It is also impossible in some countries to elect all the officials. Hence, from the point of view of administrative efficiency, integrity and impartiality, election of officials by the people is undesirable and can hardly be advocated.
Recall
The system of recall is the logical corollary of the election of officials. Under the system, the electorate can call for the dismissal of an official before the expiry of his/her term. The system of recall makes the official continuously subject to popular whims and understanding and thus neglectful of the correct practices of his/her profession. However, the system of recall is very rarely resorted to if Prof. Charles Worth opinion is to be relied on. His position is that “the recall though not reduce the influence of bosses, corporations, or other special interests, it is just as useful and as available to bad elements as to good. More so, it has been determined that it has no warning effect upon an official who is about to make a mistake or to prepare a crime”.
Pressure Group
