JAMB Government Past Questions & Answers - Page 175

As a component of the stat, the civil service is important because it ensures continuity in governance.

Civil Service is a body of skilled, permanent and paid officials who carry out day to day business of government.

The civil service is divided into departments called ministries.

some of the characteristics are

1. Permanence
The Civil Service is a permanent government institution. It does not change with the government that created it. Its workers enjoy secured appointment.

2. Neutrality
The Civil Service and its workers-the civil servants are political neutral. They are not expected to take part in partisan politics unless they resign their appointment.

3. Expertise
The Civil Services are expected to be experts in the functions they perform. They therefore suppose to have a good measure of expert knowledge and intelligence.

4. Impartiality
The Civil Service and civil servants are expected to serve any government or political party in power without fear or favour. They should then not allow their political interest to becloud their faithfulness.

5. Anonymity
The Civil Servants are anonymous, they are therefore seen but do not speak to the press unless authorized by the Minister. They do not disclose official secrets.

6. Merits
Recruitment into the Civil Service should be based on merit and not on quota or favouritism. This is for them to perform their functions very well and ensure the success of the government.

The fusion of Ceremonial and Executive Powers is a distinctive feature of the Presidential system of government.

Presidential system of government is the one in which the head of State of a country is also the head of government of the same country. It is a system in which all executive powers are vested in one person with the title of the Executive President.

As head of State, he has the power to sign a bill into law. In case of anomalies, he can refuse to sign a bill until the anomalies are corrected by the two House-House of Representatives and the House of Senate.

Coming to Ceremonial Functions, he represents the country at some events such as taking salute at parade grounds on independence day celebrations.

Public Opinion helps a government to develop the country in line with the people's aspirations.

Public Opinion is the beliefs, values and attitudes which are commonly held and expressed by majority of the people on a given public issue.

Some of the functions of Public Opinion are as follows:

1. Public Opinion helps the government to know what the public think about its policies and actions.

2. It helps a responsible government to moderate her actions if possible to drop some actions that may help to pull down the government.

3. It wakes up government and its agencies from slumber.

4. It enables the government to know the needs and aspirations of its citizens.

5. It brings about the formulation of policies and taking actions that are to the best interest of majority of its citizens.

The type of government in which an individual wields absolute power is called autocracy.

Autocracy may be defined as rule with iron hand when only the desires of the ruler are fulfilled.

It is also the form of government in which one person rules with absolutes power and authority without caring for the wishes of the people. Example, France during the time of Louis XIV and Nazi Germany.

Individual as opposed to collective responsibility is a basic feature of the Presidential System of Government.

The principle of collective responsibility does not hold in the Presidential system but in the parliamentary system.