1. Economic Diversification: This diversification has always been part of the government proposal. It is high time such policy got perfect implementation. There is need to shift attention from the monopoly of oil as the revenue of Nigeria and more aggressive decisions towards improving agricultural sector is required. This has become imperative to engage more Nigerians on agro-business and make the sector more attractive. The oil price is falling of recent times and the country needed to improve its agricultural plan to fast-track the growth and development projects in the country
2. Mechanised Farming: In order to achieve a larger scale agricultural production, there must be modernised farming. The mechanisation of the farming activities will boost productivity and contribute to mass cultivation of agricultural products. The traditional farming has always been at slower paste without a larger production
3. Loans and Incentives: The Nigeria‟s government should increase its capacity in terms of loans and incentives to prospective farmers. Such move will attract more prospective farmers to scale up their production. It will also improve agro-business by widening opportunities in the agricultural industry.
4. Improved Budgetary Allocation: The government should make appropriation to the agricultural sector to be more robust so as to increase participation and production capacity. With this, the level of food security can be improved and self- sufficiency might be guaranteed
financial risk protection in the health system. Though Nigeria had recorded milestone in the fight against guinea worm, control o f Ebola and the interruption of wild Wild Polio Virus (NHP, 2016), there was need to improve on the health facilities that have shown a clear dichotomy in the society. In lieu of this, the Federal Ministry of Health through consensus building among stakeholders developed the 2016 National Health Policy with the vision of universal health coverage for all Nigerians.
3.3.2 POLICY OBJECTIVE AND THRUST
The overall goal of the policy is to straighten Nigeria‟s health system, particularly the primary health care. And to also deliver effective, efficient, accessible, affordable and comprehensive health care services to all Nigerians. However, the policy thrusts are ten (10) and were derived from NSHDP and WHO health system building blocks. They are: Governance, Health Service Delivery, Health Financing, Human Resources for Health, Medicines, Vacines, Commodities and Health Technologies, Health Infrastructure, Health Information System, Health Research and Development, Community Participation and Partnership for Health.
3.3.3 POLICY DIRECTION AND ASSESSMENT
The direction of the policy is tailored towards the aforementioned thrust. No doubt, the policy created rooms for creation of more primary health care centres across the country. This was done with partnership with National Primary Health Care being an agency of the Federal Ministry of Health. Also, part of the projection of the policy is for state and local governments to complement the effort of the national government in delivering health services to the people.
Be that as it may, most of the state and local government failed to develop a plan on domestication of the National Health Policy to suit the component units. The policy is yet to achieve its goals, though as planned, it would be reviewed in every 5 years. Up till date, most of the Nigeria‟s health facilities fail to meet the WHO prescribed standard. The political leaders hardly comply with some of the medical professional advices by not sufficiently finance the health sector. The budgetary allo cation to the health system is not impressive which leads to the policy as a mere academic exercise.
3.3.4 WAY FORWARD
1. There must be adequate finance of health system. This requires improved budgetary allocation to the sector
2. Policy implementation should be holistic. The 2016 National Health Policy has a good framework and thrust but implementation remains the major challenge.
3. The public hospitals should be well equipped with modern facilities.
The COVID-19 scenario exposed the relegated situation of the country‟s medical facilities
4. The health workers must be motivated and regular capacity building should be done
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Examine the impact of National Health Policy on Nigerians
4.0 CONCLUSION
In this unit, we have examined three sectors that are key to development of any country. The assessment indicates that more still requited to be done in the country. The policy makers have developed some good policies but the level of implementation has always been worriso me.
5.0 SUMMARY
In policy analysis, the impact of assessment makes one to understand the role a policy has played and how effective or otherwise decisions made are well executed. The analysis of education, health and agricultural sectors in this unit expose us towards policy assessment and effective evaluation. The analytical framework indicates that more needed to be done in the area of health, education and agriculture.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENTS (TMAs)
(1) Give an account of the thrust of the National Health Policy (2) Analyse the Agricultural Development Project
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Federal Ministry of Agriculture (2000). Agricultural Policy for Nigeria Mifflin Company.
Federal Ministry of Health (2016). National Health Policy Document
Owolabi, J. (2005). Policy making and Educational Policy Analysis.
Uganda: Makerere University Printery
129 UNIT 4: POLICY ANALYSIS CONSTRAINTS
CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Objectives 3.0 Main Contents 3.1 Politics constraint 3.2 Budget Constraint 3.3 Institutional Constraint 3.4 Values Constraints
3.5 Expectation from the Society 3.6 Multiple Problems
3.7 Costly Solution 3.8 Uncertainty
3.9 Lack of communication 4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment 7.0 References/Further Reading 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Policy analysis simply put is the study of the causes, processes, formulation, implementation and consequences of public policy. It involves the description and explanation of particular policy choices and contents; determination of strategies for optimal policy.-making, performance, implementation and impact of public policies. It uses collected data to systematically explain, describe and prescribe policies with the aid of certain social science methods, theories and approaches. However, almost all participants in policy formulation have stakes in the configuration that policy takes.
This creates problem to policy analysts. In this unit, we shall examine the constraints faced by the analyst in the course of decision- making.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, students would be able to:
Understand the constraint of politics on public policy analysis;
Understand the constraint of budget in policy analysis;
Appreciate institutional constraint in policy analysis;
Explain the constraint values place on policy analysis;
Understand what the society accept as good policy;
Understand that mult iple cases of a problem can hinder appropriate solution to policy problems; and
Understand that costly solution to a social problem would affect the acceptability of a policy
130 1.0 MAIN CONTENT