Abstract

Human resources is a key component of production in economics world. Thus, the shortage in human resource leads to poor delivery and so many other factors. Human resources shortages requires effectives human resource management. Findings from research about ongoing shortage in human resources in government establishment are used to build a preliminary theory of problems and solutions as a appropriate Human Resources Management responses. The research revealed that the best human resource management practices are to attract, motivate, and retain human assets. The key factors responsible for the shortage of human resources as revealed by the research included: withdrawal by death, and through retirements etc. while the ministry of finance and Economic Planning Enugu State human resource shortage leads to drop in the level of productivity, decline inefficiency and delay in the rate of work etc. In conclusion, the research also revealed that productivity is often affected adversely by the shortage of human resources and works are usually delayed so much. Recommendations were made based on the findings and conclusions thus. The government should employ enough and qualified man-power to fill the important vacant positions existing in the civil service. Government should equally minimize the voluntary withdrawal from service by the employee. This can be done by providing good remuneration and enticing working incentives from time to time to make them happy.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Shortage of human resources have been the bane of most establishment. Human resource capacity – a measure to ensure that organization has a sufficient number of qualified people in the right place at the right time to achieve its objectives. A shortage of human resources in government has a direct impact on an organization’s ability to deliver programs and services and perform certain tasks. The study of finance and economic planning Enugu state is to measure the human resource shortage as regard the occupied positions expressed as a percentage of total full-time positions. Hence, the question presented and being asked as a look at the information collected to answer them are:

·        What are the workforce of the establishment?

·        How many people, with what qualifications, are needed to get the work done?

·        Where and to what extent does a gap exist?

·        How do certain factors prevent the department from getting the workforce they need to deliver their programs and services?

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Many persons with particular reference to the elite will be wondering why there is shortage of human resources supply.  A research in the area of this shortage of human resources supply will sound like asking an obvious question. To give the answer to the obvious question above I will start by emphasizing on the important of human resource in every economy.  Human resources is described as a combination of all individual engaged in any of the organisation activities regardless of their levels, Wental French (2007). 

From the above definition of human resources means men and women working for an organisation do belong or do not belong to the human resources.  For instance in ministries it ranges from commissioners to messengers.       Ministry of finance and economic planning which started during the creation of the eastern region, has the primary function of revenue generation through the board of internal revenue, treasury keeping the releasing of funds for the running of day to day business of the government.  This ministry is experiencing shortage of human resources.  The research (study) revealed that some of the cause of the shortage includes that the state government stopped employing man power since 1994, without having in mind that even those employed left the service through retirement, voluntary withdraw due to the fact that the salary is not encouraging, state creation, death etc. However, for any organisation to achieve some of it aim, must ensure not only supply of human resource but also ensuring that they are adequately. Because the activities in the organisation from beginning to the end stage is the duty of the human resources. The goal of any organisation can not be achieve only by providing or ensuring adequate supply of human resources. On this Harish Jain C (2008), opined that people will be motivated to perform their jobs effectively to the extent of which they are satisfied doing the jobs.  The more workers are rewarded, the more hard they work. Another problem that brings shortage of human resources is revenue, in addition to retirement (voluntary or not) withdrawals (revenue based), death, cum lack of inability of government to recruit since 1985 brought about shortage in human resources, in Enugu State ministry of finance and planning.    

Finally, this research is therefore on towards finding the cause and the effects of the shortage and the solutions to the problems.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The problems as stated earlier through the research findings are:

-      Inability of government to recruit human resources since 1994

-      Retirement (voluntary of by age)

-      State creation &

-      Death etc

These are factors that leads to shortage of human resources in the establishment. It was established that they do not track or analyze other key information about their employees, such as duration of service, level of education etc. They do not compile sufficient information on their human resource needs. When a position is vacant, the hiring manager indentifies in the job description the qualifications and experience that the position requires. However, this information is not compiled, they do not know how many people they need with specific skill sets. For example, none of the departments know how many accountants they needed. Nor is this kind of information compiled and analyzed government – wise. The gaps, as noted through research findings, is that while they know that there is a lack of qualified people to fill the financial management positions, they have not indentified how many people and what qualifications, experience and skill sets are needed to fill the vacant positions. And without this information, they cannot develop plans for filling these positions. Thus, why it is a problem too many.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to find out the problems and solutions to the shortage of human resources in government establishment.    

1.  To know what the work force of the establishment are presently.

2.  To identify how many people with what qualifications are needed to get the work done.

3.  To determine where and to what extent does a gap

4.  The challenges that prevent the department from getting the workforce they need to execute her programs.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the study includes the following:

1.     It will to reduce unemployment

2.     It will help to minimize the shortage and the suffering of the little employee already in service.

3.     It will remind the government and its agencies on the need for keeping information.

1.5  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions are thus:

i.            What are the causes of shortage in human resources in the establishment?

ii.          What are the workforce of the establishment?

iii.        How many people, with what qualifications, are needed to get the work done?

iv.         Where and to what extent does a gap exist?

v.           What are the factors that prevents the department in getting the workforce needed to deliver their programs and services?

1.6  SCOPE/DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

My case study is Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Enugu which is made up of five (5) department  that includes: finance and supply, personnel, treasury, plan research and statistics and library.  The scope and delimitation is centered on finding out the cause of shortage of human resources in the entire departments.

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