2006 - JAMB Government Past Questions and Answers - page 3

The main reason for the poor performance of the Public Complaints Commission in Nigeria is that it lacks the power to prosecute offenders.

That is, it has no powers to enforce its investigations and decisions it has taken, it can only investigate and recommend.

Other limitations are as follows:

1. It cannot investigate the activities of top officials in government e.g the President.

2. No power to question or challenge e.g the decision of the court.

3. Lack of confidentiality.

4. The need to preserve and safeguard state security and vital national interest.

In Nigeria,military regimes returned power to civilians through Transition Programmes

In the pre-colonial Yoruba political system,the council of chiefs constituted the Legislative Arm.

It should be noted that the Oba made the laws in consultation with his chiefs who represented different villages. The laws could be for imposition of the following:

1. Taxes

2. Land Allocation

3. Marriage

4. Divorce etc.

The senior chiefs could also make laws but such laws were subject to Oba's ratification.

The Bales also made rules and regulations on behalf of the Oba.

Constitutional matters in which the Nigerian federal and state governments exercise joint authority are on the concurrent list.

Some examples are as follows:

1. Industrial Development

2. Education

3. Agriculture

4. Finance

5. Transport

6. Works

The federal laws prevail in case of contradictions.

Before the 1976 reforms, the three-tier local government system was practiced by Western and Northern Nigeria.

Under the 1963 Republican Constitution,the President exercised nominal powers.

He was only a ceremonial head and had no real powers. Unlike the President of the Second Republic, he was not an executive president, but ceremonial one.

A major merit of privatization is that it increases public fiscal resources.

Privatization is a process of transferring ownership and control of companies, industries, corporations, etc, from public to private sector.

Privatization generates more fund and then revamps the economy as well as development of rural areas.

Through privatization, the corporations or enterprises will be managed and organized more efficiently for the overall benefit of the masses or consumers.

British subjects was the status of the inhabitants of the Lagos Crown Colony.

According to G.A.I. Ofoegbu (1976): ''Crown Colony was a colony that was administered directly by the Colonial Government of the colonial state e.g. Lagos. It was always regarded as part of colonial state. Citizens of crown colonies or territories were regarded as citizens of the crown state e.g Senegal under France.'' But as far as British policy was concerned, such citizens were British subjects.

British subjects was the status of the inhabitants of the Lagos Crown Colony.

According to G.A.I. Ofoegbu (1976): ''Crown Colony was a colony that was administered directly by the Colonial Government of the colonial state e.g. Lagos, it was always regarded as part of colonial state. Citizens of crown colonies or territories were regarded as citizens of the crown state e.g Senegal under France.'' But as far as British policy was concerned, such citizens were British subjects.

In pre-colonial governance women played prominent roles in the Igbo society. During this period in Igbo land, the women known as ''Umuada'' played different prominent roles such as looking into cases involving misconduct by men and woman of the village or their kindred's as a case may be.