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Reasons Why Policies Change in Nigeria

Received: 24 December 2019     Accepted: 17 January 2020     Published: 29 May 2020
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Abstract

This paper aimed at exploring reasons to why policies change in Nigeria. It defined policy as action taken toward problem solving by government or an organization. It also defined policy change as the replacement of one or more existing policies with another. The paper adopted advocacy coalition framework as theoretical frame work and explained policy change. The theory explained that policy change occurs through interactions between wide external changes or shocks to the political system and the success of the ideas in the coalitions, which may cause actors in the advocacy coalition to shift coalitions. More so, the paper discussed six reasons to why policies change in Nigeria, these reasons are: failure of the existing policy to accomplish it set objective, political instability, ineffective and corrupt political leadership, policy diffusion, change in structure and socio-economic factors. And finally the paper recommended that for a policy to fully achieve its set goal and objective, there should be continuity of policy implementation irrespective of the person or political party in office, proper assessment and implementation of policy will also reduce the risk of policy failure and also policy makers should have the people at heart and not use the predicament of the people for personal gain.

Published in Journal of Public Policy and Administration (Volume 4, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12
Page(s) 24-28
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Policy, Change, Policy Change

References
[1] Capano, G. (2009). Understanding Policy Change As An Epistemological and Theoretical Problem Understanding Policy Change as an Epistemological and Theoretical Problem. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis Research and Practice •, 11 (1), 7–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876980802648284.
[2] Cerna, L. (2013). The Nature of Policy Change and Implementation : A Review of Different Theoretical Approaches.
[3] Obamwonyi, S. E. (2014). Public Policy Failures in Nigeria : Pathway to Underdevelopment. Public Policy and Administration Research, 4 (9), 38–44.
[4] Olaniyan, G. O. (2012). Changing Phases of Nigerian Education Policies and Challenges of Functionalism. 3 (14), 152–157.
[5] Pierce, Jonathan J, Peterson, Holly L, H. K. C. (2016). Policy Change: An Advocacy Coalition Framework Perspective Jonathan J. Pierce (Seattle University), Holly L. Peterson (Oregon State University), and Katherine C. Hicks (Seattle University) Version 8.31.16. European Consortium for Political Research General Conference, 1–37. Prague.
[6] Porter, K. M. P., Rutkow, L., & Mcginty, E. E. (2018). The Importance of Policy Change for Addressing Public Health Problems. Public Health Reports, 133 (Supplement 1), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354918788880.
[7] Rose-ackerman, S. (1999). Corruption and Government Causes, Consequences, and Reform. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[8] Šinko, M. (2016). Policy change – review of classification, measurement and factors. Teorija in Praksa, 53 (1), 228–247.
[9] Sabatier, P. A., and Jenkins-Smith, H. (eds). 1993. Policy Change and Learning: An advocacy coalition framework. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
[10] Jenkins-Smith, H. C., Nohrstedt, D., Weible, C. M., & Sabatier, P. A. 2014. “The Advocacy Coalition Framework: Foundations, Evolution, and Ongoing Research.” In Theories of the Policy Process, Third Edition edited by Paul A. Sabatier and Christopher M. Weible. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 183-223.
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    Benjamin Isah. (2020). Reasons Why Policies Change in Nigeria. Journal of Public Policy and Administration, 4(2), 24-28. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12

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    ACS Style

    Benjamin Isah. Reasons Why Policies Change in Nigeria. J. Public Policy Adm. 2020, 4(2), 24-28. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12

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    Benjamin Isah. Reasons Why Policies Change in Nigeria. J Public Policy Adm. 2020;4(2):24-28. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12,
      author = {Benjamin Isah},
      title = {Reasons Why Policies Change in Nigeria},
      journal = {Journal of Public Policy and Administration},
      volume = {4},
      number = {2},
      pages = {24-28},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20200402.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jppa.20200402.12},
      abstract = {This paper aimed at exploring reasons to why policies change in Nigeria. It defined policy as action taken toward problem solving by government or an organization. It also defined policy change as the replacement of one or more existing policies with another. The paper adopted advocacy coalition framework as theoretical frame work and explained policy change. The theory explained that policy change occurs through interactions between wide external changes or shocks to the political system and the success of the ideas in the coalitions, which may cause actors in the advocacy coalition to shift coalitions. More so, the paper discussed six reasons to why policies change in Nigeria, these reasons are: failure of the existing policy to accomplish it set objective, political instability, ineffective and corrupt political leadership, policy diffusion, change in structure and socio-economic factors. And finally the paper recommended that for a policy to fully achieve its set goal and objective, there should be continuity of policy implementation irrespective of the person or political party in office, proper assessment and implementation of policy will also reduce the risk of policy failure and also policy makers should have the people at heart and not use the predicament of the people for personal gain.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AU  - Benjamin Isah
    Y1  - 2020/05/29
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    AB  - This paper aimed at exploring reasons to why policies change in Nigeria. It defined policy as action taken toward problem solving by government or an organization. It also defined policy change as the replacement of one or more existing policies with another. The paper adopted advocacy coalition framework as theoretical frame work and explained policy change. The theory explained that policy change occurs through interactions between wide external changes or shocks to the political system and the success of the ideas in the coalitions, which may cause actors in the advocacy coalition to shift coalitions. More so, the paper discussed six reasons to why policies change in Nigeria, these reasons are: failure of the existing policy to accomplish it set objective, political instability, ineffective and corrupt political leadership, policy diffusion, change in structure and socio-economic factors. And finally the paper recommended that for a policy to fully achieve its set goal and objective, there should be continuity of policy implementation irrespective of the person or political party in office, proper assessment and implementation of policy will also reduce the risk of policy failure and also policy makers should have the people at heart and not use the predicament of the people for personal gain.
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Author Information
  • Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

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