1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The role of manpower in the social political and economic development of any government can not be overemphasized. The organization more especially local government system is not know to have attained or sustained high level of economic growth without ample supply of qualified staff.
This for administration and management of the local government the must be train and re-train in other to manage their affairs and achieve the set of goals of the community.
The above statement example that local government system are established and expected to perform as well as carryout specific responsibility in improving the living standard of their local dwellers and this cannot be achieve without improving the workers productivity through training and retraining.
According to Orewa A. And Adenumu E (1992) “Local government is a system of local communities and towns which are organized to maintain law and order”, provide some limited range of social services and co-operation of the inhabitants in joining endeavours towards the improvement their condition of living. This implied that local government provides the community with a formal organization framework which enables them to conduct their affairs effectively and regulate the action of their members.
According to Akinyele (1988) defines it as “a political submission of a law which is constituted by law and has substantial control of local affairs” this connote that they are established for the improvement of the standard of the local dwellers.
According to federal republic of Nigeria guidelines for local government reform (1976) defines it as “Local council as government exercised through representative councils established by law to exercise specific power within defines areas.
Local government system constitutes the third tier of government in direct contrat with the grassroots. By this very fact therefore, they are expected to play a major role in the development and transformation of the rural or local countries more specifically.
The fact has been widely acknowledge that local government of Owerri municipal council is still a far cry from their mission today. It is a recognized factor that most of the local government cannot completely use both human and materials (non human) resources available to them.
The manpower training is a critical factor in economic development of Owerri municipal council. Any local government which is unable to employ skilled and knowledgeable. The essence of any manpower training is to enhance the welfare of workers by maximizing their skills and the quality and quantity of their employment opportunity and in so doing it will add to the country's economic strength.
According to Nwankwo (1993) defined manpower “as the process by which organization ensure that it has the right number of people and the right kind of people at the right places, at the right time doing things for which they are economically most useful”. Thus all manpower training are aimed at human resources development and utilization. The quality of manpower is the most important factor that will determine whether an organization will be successful and achieve its stated objective.
Manpower training is usually essential for new local government members as well as seasoned chairman, councilors, personnel, treasure, etc who requires the skill and knowledge to carryout administrative work effectively with employees at all level in the local government as the clerk.
1.2 Statement of Problems
The major problem confronting Owerri municipal council today is how to determine the best way to encourage training and re-training of high level manpower required for the local government system. This has been a problem because no local government has ever attained high level of economic growth without ample supply of qualified manpower.
It is a well known fact that the local government system had continue to lack behind in this retraining programme despite her abundant supply of natural resources and it is difficult to see on ground any secretary, accountant, etc who do not require some training and retraining at one or more point in time of their career. When these manpower are trained, it will help to enhance productivity in the Owerri municipal council.
However, since efficient and effective manpower is most important to the attainment of grassroot objectives, it is in the recognition of this fact that this research is carried out with the aim to evaluate the role of manpower training and retraining in Owerri municipal council in Local government system.
Development and structure of Owerri municipal council: the Owerri municipal council of Imo state was created under the Eastern Region Legal notice No 218. but it was abolished because of many military interventions.
In 1982 governor Sam Mbakwa, created new local government area in Imo State during the second republic and Owerri Urban was created, thus did not last long as the military struck again in 1984 and returning all government to their original state before the civilian regime.
By 1989, following the adjustment made by decree 15 of 1989, Owerri Local government was split into two Ngor-Okpala and Owerri local government area. But another major local government review headed by Chief Author Mbanfo was carried out during the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida and on December 5, 1986, the federal government gave Owerri comprising the following villages Umuororonjo, Awaon, Umunyeche, Umuoda, and Umuoyima popularly called Owerri Ichise, other include all the federal and state housing as well as commercial and industrial layouts.
The Owerri municipal council has about fifteen (15) wards; each council ward elects a council that will be representing them in the municipal. They also have a state constituency and senatorial district with about five hundred and nine (509) staff. The inefficiency and low productivity that characterize manpower training and retraining especially in Owerri municipal council is attributed to the shortage of qualifies and skill manpower.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objective of this study is know the role of manpower training and retraining in Owerri municipal council system of local government.
The objectives also includes
- To know how human material and resources should be effectively managed in order to achieve the goals of the local government.
- To know how the use of wrong personnel officers affects effective training and retraining in local government system.
- To find out if organization of on the job training or off the job training will be applicable to staff in order to see if it can bring efficiency and effectiveness.
- To know if the motivation and leadership style will help to improve productivity.
- To know if staff is not properly placed in local government whether it will affects their performance badly.
- To observed if manpower and retraining is a veritable tool for improving the relationship within and out the local government system.
1.4 Research Question
- Does poor funding affect manpower training and retraining in local government system?
- Does inadequate material in local government affect staff training
- Does improper placement of staff reflect on the productivity of the local government system?
- Does inadequate finance hinders effective training in the local government system?
- Why is it that some organization prefers on the job training to off the job training?
- Manpower training and retraining is it a veritable tool for improving relationship within the organization?
- Is motivation and leadership style essential on the staff training and retraining in local government system of Owerri municipal council?
- Does effective utilization of human and material resources has impact on manpower.
- Does wrong use of training officer affects effective training in the local government system.
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
In order to make a thorough investigation on the research topic, the following hypothesis has been formulated.
Hypothesis 1
- Ho: manpower training and retraining does not improve employee's performance.
- Hi: Manpower training and retraining improves employee's performances.
Hypothesis II
- Ho: manpower training and retraining doe not improve relationship within and outside the municipal council.
- Hi: manpower training and retraining improved relationship within outside the municipal council.
Hypothesis III
- Ho: staff training does not help subordinate for higher responsibilities.
- Hi: Staff training helps subordinate for higher responsibility.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This research work will help to understand the need for manpower training and retraining in the Owerri council.
Staff training is a product of determining workers efficiency and productivity. The significance of the research work includes also
- To improve the relationship within the establishment and even outside it
- To increased productivity and improved quality of work output.
- Easy coping with change in establishment policies and techniques
- Maximum utilization of available manpower and reduction of wastes
- It help in the orientation of new employees and those who take up new job
- Reduction in rate of labour turnover and absenteeism.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research work will cover the need for training selection of qualified or appropriate training and trainers as we as the training procedure and content and allocation of adequate time for training and retraining programmes. The research was carried out under certain constraints in an attempt to make the study a meaningful one.
Information was based on both primary and secondary data from civil service commission. Bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs, senior staff management committee of the local government, Nigeria union of local government employee (NULGE) Owerri municipal council chapter, department of personnel and administration and all the staff of Owerri municipal council. Other officers and staffers within the Owerri municipal council were also covered I order to obtain sufficient information concerning the research work.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
It is necessary to highlight some of the problems the researcher encountered in the course of carrying out the research, they include:
Inadequate Fund:
This made the project a problematic one hence the researcher is till a student, because of the collection of data for the project and high cost of transportation in the country today. I was unable to provide sufficient cash to carry out the research as a result of that, the work was delayed.
Insufficient Material:
This was another problem encountered on the course of this work, I went to several internet, newspapers, magazines. Journals, tertiary institutions, textbooks and lectures consultation before I could get enough materials on the topic and all these involved money.
Non-Challant Attitude and Unwillingness:
It is another problem on this research work, the respondents were unable to give out the vital information needed for the fear of being implicated or not to disclose the secret of the establishment.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Good research ethnic demands those terms be defined in right sense where they are used to remove any ambiguous meaning in pursuant of this belief. The following terms are defined as they are used in the study public service. This refers to all members of all public institutions financed and maintained by the tax payer and emolument of whose member regularly authorized by the legislature acting in concert with the executive.
Manpower:
This simply means human resources available to the organization that engage in any form of production.
Human Resources:
This refers to the energies, skills and knowledge of people which are or which potentially can or could applied to the production of goods and services.
Training:
This can be seen as any learning activity which is gear towards the acquisition of specific knowledge and skill of the purpose of an occupation or tasks.
Re-Training:
It is a process of learning new skill and methods of doing something in the organization in order to promote effectively and effectiveness. Re-training is a process of involving employees to prepare for higher responsibilities in the future.
Orientation:
It is concerned with informing employees of the organization policies and benefits, thus, acquainting the new employee with their job environment and co-workers relation.
Municipal Council:
This is seen as a system of local administration under which communities and towns are organized to maintain law and order, provide some limited range of social services and public amenities and encourage the co-operation and participation of the inhabitants in joint endeavor towards the improvement of their condition of living.
Local Government System:
This deals with the role of government in managing the affairs to the local people of a particular locality.
