Abstract:
The study assessed the implementation of monetization of fringe benefits in the Federal Ministries, Abuja, from 2003-2009. The study was informed by the fact that it was observed that cost of governance has continued to escalate beyond imagination in recent years. The federal government in an attempt to reduce the burden of providing basic amenities for public officers and curb the abuse and misuse of public facilities decided to convert all these benefits enjoyed by the public servants into monetary equivalence. The committee set up by the federal government finally recommended the component parts of the programme and set objectives, the programme hopes to achieve. Specifically, the study examined whether the implementation of monetization policy has reduced the high cost of accommodation by helping members of staff of the Federal Ministries, Abuja, to own their own houses, establish the extent the implementation the of monetization of fringe benefits has reduced the burden of providing basic amenities to public officers, thereby leading to more capital development. The study also tried to find out whether federal the government has saved substantial running cost, maintenance and capital costs, as a result of the monetization of fringe benefits in Abuja federal Ministries, examined challenges that militate against effective implementation of the programme, and suggest ways of overcoming the constraints for effective implementation of the policy. Primary data were gathered from oral interviews and personal observations while secondary data were obtained from books, journals, newspapers, internet materials, official documents as well as unpublished materials. Different statistical tools such as content analysis, percentages, and tables were used to analyse both primary and secondary data. Applying the implementation theory, the study made the following findings; that the level of achievements of the programme in the area of residential accommodation was found to be significant. Monetization of fringe benefits has not reduced the burden of providing basic amenities to public officers, because the overall capital expenditure has not improved; monetization policy has not reduced the running, maintenance and capital costs of governance due to waivers and exemption clauses introduced by the president. The study recommends that full implementation of the programme needs to be spread over a minimum of 10years to provide the government with time to monitor effectively the impact of the programme on the budgets and capital development.
