Nature and Meaning of Public Policy

PUBLIC POLICY IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANCE INSTRUMENTS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION THAT APPLIED TO ACTIVITIES OF GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION. THE STUDY OF PUBLIC POLICY FOCUSES ON THE THEORY, PROCESS AND ITS APPLICATION ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PRACTICES.

Public policy can be generally defined as the course of action or inaction taken by governmental entities (the decisions of government) with regard to a particular issue or set of issues.
Public policy refers to a fixed plan and pattern of behaviour by a government toward an issue confronting it. a system of courses of action, regulatory measures, laws, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives.

Public policy incorporates objectives and strategies that address a number of social concerns and issues:
EDUCATION POLICY – concern with education service and its delivery
HEALTH POLICY – concern with health and strategies to improve health services.
NEW ECONOMIC POLICY – concern with long term and short term development plan and its implementation.
NATIONAL BUDGET – concern with planning of national income and expenditure.

THE CONTENT OF PUBLIC POLICY:
ISSUE – the concern of the government
OBJECTIVE – aims or goals of the policy
STRATGIES – how to achieve the goals
PROGRAMMES – a particular activities that going to be implemented
FINANCE – cost incurred of achieving the objectives

The process of formulating public policy comprises political and non-political (NGO) groups, administrative, legal and parliamentary components.
Every components have their own roles in ensuring their interests are fulfill.
Federal public service institutions play a leading role in the formulation of public policies. These institutions include such as Central agencies, Ministries and department.