PROBLEMS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The Isoko North Local Government council Area is one of the major oil producing areas of the state and one of the local government areas which make up the south senatorial district of Delta State. It was created on 23rd of September 1991 by General Ibraham’s administration. The constituent clan are Ozoro, Emevor, Owhe, Iyede, Ofagbe, Ellu, Oyede and Okpe Isoko. The headquarter of the local government is situated at Ozoro town where the state Polytechnic has one of its campus (the Ozoro campus). The council area has a population of over 112,000 (according to 2003 population census figure). It is rich in natural and human resources such as yam, rubber, cassava, palm produce, cocoyam, plantain, crude oil, etc. It has a limited amount of hunting and fishing activites. They also engage in trade of food crops for cash to meet other basic household needs. The local government area is populated by different ethnic groups which include the Hausas, Ibos, Yorubas, Edo’s, Ijaws, Urhobo’s and Itsekiris. The native are mainly Benin’s who migrated from Edo State.
The people are mostly Christian and traditional worshippers. Isoko North Local Government Council is administered through eight (8) functional department viz the personnel, finance and treasury, primary health care, work service environment, legal, educational, community development and agricultural departments. The department are being governed by an executive chairman who is duly elected after winning a legal government election and other elected members referred to as councilors. Isoko North Local Government Council has thirteen (13) electorate wards and one (1) constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly. It is divided into two sub-councils namely: the executive council comprises of the chairman as the chief executive of the council, the vice chairman, the secretary to the local government (SLG) and five (5) to six (6) supervisors who are appointed by the councilors while the legislative council consist of twenty (20) councilors these include the five (5) supervisors and a leader elected from among the twenty (20) councilors to preside over the affairs of the legislature. Each councilors represent each ward.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is believe that no matter how well planned a change is, it often has inherent areas of deficiency and weakness that require educated personnel who are capable to produce desired goals. Motivation is an instrument which enhances personnel / human resource management to influence the disposal of personnel budget are adequate to motivate personnel. Among the motivating factors are training of staff, development, work schedule, personnel benefits and allowances like transport, health services. Job specification enhances good productivity to what extent are job specified for the workers. Faulty communication may be part of the problem but a firm may have excellent communication and still have several employees who do not perform as expected. To deal effectively with a problem, employee, you have to know why there is a problem. Possible reasons are;
i. Lack of job structure
ii. Misplacement
iii. Incompatibility between employee and employer
iv. Inadequate supervision
v. Emotional immaturity
vi. Physiological determination or poor health. To what extent is effective communication maintained between the management and the entire staff of the council of Isoko North. What role does education, training, motivation and communication play in effective personnel management? What constraints and setbacks are being faced by most head of personnel management and ways of finding solution to enhancing effective management of personnel and resources in achieving the desire goals and objectives with the availability of limited resources.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
It is my hope that this study would attempt to explore and examine the stated problems and with a view to finding solution to them. Accordingly, the objectives of the study are;
i. To stress the need for efficient, resourceful personnel and co-partners in Isoko North Local Government council for the achievement of the set organizational goals.
ii. What levels of education are needed for the staff of the council by management to uplift effectiveness of personnel motivation and other personnel benefit?
iii. To link or bridge the lapses in communication process between the workers and representative and management.
iv. To know who may be a problem employee due to faulty communication vis-à-vis lack of skill, etc. and finding ways in solving the problem.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
i. To what extent does human resource manager influence the recruitment of the right workers?
ii. To what extent does adequate training facilities influence workers performance.
1.5 HYPOTHESIS FORMULATION
Ho: There is no significant relationship between adequate training facilities and workers performances.
H1: There is a significant relationship between adequate training facilities and workers performances.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research work is of great significance to human resource department and recruitment agencies, outside the organization.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is limited to Isoko North Local Government Council, Ozoro, Delta State. The study attempts to examine the problems of human resource management in Isoko North Local Government Council and ways of finding solution to some of the problems.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The problem encountered by the researcher is that of finance, lack of related literatures on personnel management and insufficient time allowed to carry out the research work.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
COMMUNICATION: This is defined as the transfer of information from one person to another with the person at the receiving end understanding the content of the information.
MOTIVATION: Is the ways, urges, aspirations, drives and needs of human being that direct or control or explain their behaviour.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Human resource management are that part of management that is concerned with the administration of people at work and with their relationship within the organization.