WAEC Government 2020 Theory — Question 3

Model answer

(a) A public corporation is a semi-autonomous business entity established by an Act of Parliament (statute) to provide essential services to the public at a reduced cost. Examples of public corporation in Nigeria are: Nigeria Railway Corporation, the defunct NEPA, Nigerian Television Authority etc. (b) Public Corporations can be controlled through the following means: (1) Parliamentary/Legislative control: The legislature, through its relevant committees, can summon the head of a public corporation and ask him/her to give account of his/her stewardship. Through this, the legislature can control public corporations. (2) Control by the Executive through the minister. The minister, who is a member of the executive council, serves as a link between a public corporation and the government. He is responsible for the general policy of a public corporation and can also exercise some form of control on the management board of a public corporation. (3) Financial control through the Auditor-General. (4) Judicial control. (5) Control by the public. (6) Quality assurance control. (7) Media control. (8) Control by the office of the Ombudsman. In Nigeria, the Ombudsman is known as the Public Complaints Commission. (9) Control by Pressure Group/Consumer Associations.