All 50 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Government 2024 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
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The ultimate source of power and authority which set the state apart from other forms of political organizations is referred to as
Sovereignty is the supreme legal authority through which a state makes laws and enforces them over those within its territorial boundaries without external control. It is the state's most important defining feature.
The institution through which leaders exercise power to make and enforce laws is the
Government is the agency or machinery through which the will of the state is realized and achieved; it embodies the mechanisms and institutions through which laws are made, implemented and interpreted.
The fundamental principles by which a state is ordered and governed is usually outlined in a
The constitution refers to the basic or fundamental laws through which a state is governed; it contains the powers, functions and limitations of government and its agencies.
Which one among the following factors greatly restrains the government in a democratic society?
In a democracy, the power of government is held in trust for the people because democracy is based on popular participation; every democratic government is expected to govern based on the consent of the people, since that defines its legitimacy.
The following factors are challenges faced by the judiciary under the doctrine of Separation of Powers except
The doctrine of separation of powers emphasizes that the basic functions of government be separated into different organs with different personnel. Removal of judges, especially by the executive, and lack of financial autonomy undermine judicial independence; poor legal infrastructure is a general resourcing issue rather than a separation-of-powers challenge.
Accountability in constitutional democracy is best enforced through a system of
Checks and balances is the process through which organs of government act as a check or watch-dog over one another to ensure compliance with the provisions of the constitution, ensuring accountability, constitutionalism and transparency in governance.
The application of the common principles that are important to improve decision-making processes and ultimately strengthen democracy and social and economic development is best described as
Good governance refers to the application of principles that improve decision-making, transparency and accountability in a way that strengthens democracy and promotes social and economic development.
One of the reasons for having two legislative chambers in the governance structure of a country is to ensure
A bicameral legislature ensures proper and thorough scrutiny of bills before they become law, as each chamber reviews and debates legislation independently.
Which one of the following factors have contributed largely to the weakened and poor performance of state institutions in many West African States?
Corruption at various levels of government and public institutions diverts resources meant for development into private pockets, undermining public trust and reducing the effectiveness of state institutions.
One of the paramount roles to play as a citizen in sustaining the democratic system of governance is to
A democratic state is one where citizens are involved in political decision-making, mostly done through voting; registering and voting during elections is a key role citizens play in sustaining democratic governance.
The responsibility of citizens towards nation-building is to
Citizens contribute to nation-building by actively participating in public affairs, engaging in the political process and contributing to decision-making, including through voting during elections.
By competing in general elections, political parties ultimately offer citizens
Political parties are platforms through which political objectives of individuals and groups can be realized. By competing in elections, parties offer citizens a choice among candidates and programmes (manifestos) that best meet their needs.
Public opinion is an essential element in a democracy because it can act as
Public opinion, the aggregate views held and expressed by a cross-section of the public on a government policy, can act as a check on government by informing government on what citizens want and how they view its activities.
The media serve a useful purpose in a democracy by
The media are the channels through which information is communicated to a large audience; they act as an intermediary between the people and government, informing citizens about policies and reporting citizens' views back to government.
One of the pivotal roles played by pressure groups in a functioning democracy is the
Pressure groups (interest groups) seek to influence government policies and programmes; they do not seek to control political power directly but rather to influence the decisions and policies of government.
Promoting electoral integrity is the crucial function of which institution of state?
The electoral management body is charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in a country, ensuring and promoting electoral integrity.
Those rights which are explicitly protected by the constitution are referred to as
Entrenched clauses are clauses in a constitution that make it nearly impossible to amend certain fundamental provisions, such as those relating to human rights; these rights are constitutional rights, not merely constitutional clauses in general.
Constitutionally, the local government administration is controlled by the state through
State governments constitutionally control the local government system through enacted legislation passed by the State House of Assembly.
Which state institution is referred to as the bureaucratic wing responsible for the running of government offices, agencies and departments?
The Civil Service is the bureaucratic arm or wing of government responsible for the implementation of government policies and programmes through its ministries, departments and agencies.
The local government administration in many West African countries is faced with a myriad of problems of which is
Poor remuneration at the local government level does not allow it to attract and retain skilled personnel, who leave for better opportunities elsewhere, making retention of qualified staff a major challenge.
One of the following options does not pass as a means of ensuring the independence of the judiciary which is
Judicial independence is safeguarded by security of tenure, promotion on merit and protection from undue influence; having judges' salaries determined by the executive (rather than fixed/insulated) can compromise that independence.
As part of its constitutional mandate, the Public Service Commission operates to
The Public Service Commission, also known as the Civil Service Commission, is responsible for the appointment, promotion and discipline of civil servants, including reviewing conditions of service such as salaries and allowances.
"The impartiality of the civil servant is important to the governance structure because they work for the interest of the
One of the principles of the civil service is impartiality; it is important because civil servants work for the interest of the state, not any particular political administration.
Which one of the following cannot be considered as a factor that influences the delimitation of a country into constituencies?
Constituency delimitation is the process of dividing an area into electoral districts based on factors such as geographical proximity and administrative convenience; political socialization (how political values are transmitted) is not a factor considered in delimitation.
A type of constitution suitable for the governance of federal state is a
A federal state has at least two levels of government with constitutional division of powers. A rigid constitution, which requires special procedure to amend, is most suitable for a federal state because it ensures that amendments cannot be carried out solely by one section of the country.
A set of principles enshrined in a constitution that guide the government in making laws and policies for the welfare of the people is referred to as
Directive principles of state policy refer to the body of principles that guide government in the discharge of its provisions of welfare to the people, especially concerning socioeconomic issues.
Which situation in a democratic state can create an environment where military intervention is perceived as the only option to restore order, protect the population or address grievances?
Political crises are one of the major factors that usually necessitate military intervention in politics; the military often sees itself as a corrective institution that can restore law and order when a country is sliding towards anarchy from political crisis.
Despite the many challenges bedeviling the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), it has managed over the years in promoting
One of the achievements of ECOWAS is the integration of West African countries and fostering of cooperation, mostly through free movement of persons, goods and capital across the sub-region.
One of the reasons for which the United Nations (UN) is considered as the only influential world body is the fact that it
The United Nations is primarily concerned with fostering cooperation and international diplomacy between and among member states to promote world peace and security.
The African Union (AU) aims at ensuring the following developments in member countries except for
The objectives of the African Union include promotion of democracy and good governance, ensuring social and economic developments and promoting peace and security; equal distribution of wealth is not one of its stated objectives.
The Commonwealth of Nations concerns itself with one of the following activities in member countries which is
The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organization concerned with the promotion of peace and security in member states, comprising mainly countries with constitutional or political links with the former British Empire.
The African Union (AU) aims to promote gender equality and women's empowerment through the strategic framework organ of the
While NEPAD, the AU's socio-economic programme, includes empowerment of women among its objectives, the strategic framework organ specifically dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment under the AU is the Specialized Commission of Women Empowerment.
What encompasses a range of diplomatic, political, economic and security decisions and actions that a state embarks on to protect and promote sovereignty on the global stage?
National interest is what a country desires to promote and protect in all her external relations; foreign policy is the tool/instrument through which that national interest is achieved.
Which colonial policy worked against the sovereign power and authority of the traditional political authority and institutions?
The policy of indirect rule, introduced by the British in their West African colonies, undermined the sovereign authority of traditional rulers by subjecting them to the control of a British official.
The surge in nationalism and its related activities was fueled by oppressive colonial experience and
The activities of various Pan-African organizations and leaders across the world, alongside oppressive colonial experiences such as the partition of West African territories, were instrumental in increasing the tempo of nationalism in colonial Africa.
Which institution of state enables different groups and interests to be represented as well as actively participate in the political space?
A political party is an association of people who share similar political ideology and seek to contest elections and control the government of the state; it serves as a platform through which different interests are aggregated and represented in the political space.
Nationalism played a crucial role in the struggle for independence in West Africa by way of fostering a sense of unity among the people and
Nationalism, the agitation against foreign rule and the desire for self-rule and self-determination, increased the political consciousness of the people of West Africa and buoyed their call for political independence.
The Crown Colony policy introduced some progressive institutions of governance in West Africa such as the
The Crown Colony system introduced by the British in their West African colonies introduced Western legal systems into the territories.
The following influential nationalist leaders contributed significantly to shaping the political destiny and nation-states of West Africa except
Dawda Kairaba Jawara of The Gambia, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria are foremost nationalist leaders in West Africa. Oliver Tambo was a South African nationalist and not from West Africa.
Diplomacy plays a vital role in shaping the interactions between states and by extension maintaining
Diplomacy is one of the tools/instruments used in conducting foreign policy; because it involves negotiation rather than war, it helps to ensure global stability and world peace.
Military rule does not only pose a threat to democracy but also to
One of the features of military rule is its disregard for the rule of law and fundamental human rights.
The following constitute the key features of most independent constitutions of West African States except
The independent constitutions of most West African States did not make provision for nationalist leaders to become army commanders; rather they emphasized democratic principles, national unity and socio-economic rights and development.
The grave effect of the French Colonial Policy of Assimilation in her West African Colonies was the
The French Colonial Policy of Assimilation was intended to acculturate Africans and make them imbibe French culture; one of its disadvantages on French West African colonies was that it slowed down and delayed the struggle for political independence, since those who were supposed to lead the campaign for nationalism saw themselves as part of the French colonial government.
The British Colonial policy in her West African territories was marked by the following strategics and structures except
The British colonial policy in West Africa was marked by divide and rule tactics, economic exploitation of the colonies and the indirect rule system, rather than substantial investments in the colonies.
Globalization impacts the development and progress of West African States by way of
Globalisation is the process through which the economies of the world have been integrated without recourse to territorial barriers; one effect of this is the transfer of technology from more advanced countries to the least developed countries.
Power, authority, legitimacy and sovereignty are described in the study of government as what?
Power, authority, legitimacy and sovereignty are topics grouped under the Basic Concepts of Government, alongside other topics such as state, society, nation, political processes, political socialization, political participation and political culture.
A government with corrupt rulers who use their power to exploit the people and natural resources of their own territory to extend their personal wealth and political power is described as
Kleptocracy is when a government is characterized by corruption and dishonesty, with rulers using their power to exploit the people and resources of their territory for personal wealth and political power.
In what way can the local government system assist in national development? By
Local governments are the closest tier of government to the people at the grassroots level. By aligning local efforts with broader national goals, the local government system can assist in no small measure in the country's national development.
The perceived perennial problem of the United Nations (UN) since its inception is the
A major problem that has faced the United Nations since its establishment is the political and ideological differences among member states, which has hampered consensus on most issues tabled before the UN because member states view issues differently based on their own ideological perspectives.
For the executive to enjoy the good will of the people in a democratic state, it must adhere to the tenets of
Political equality is one of the cardinal principles of democracy; hence the executive in any democratic state is expected to uphold the principle of political equality in order to enjoy the good will of the people.
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