Functions of Government

Back to: Civic Education Primary 5

Welcome to class.

Let us conclude on Government today today by learning about the Functions of Government.

GOVERNMENT IV

Functions of Government

• It makes policies and programmes for the benefit of the society.
• It provides protection and security of lives and property. The police is the agency which carries out this function.
• It provides social amenities such as potable water, schools, hospitals, electricity, roads, railways, and other facilities for transportation.
• It provides employment for the people. Government cannot employ everyone in need of employment. However, it employs some people to implement its plans and carry out its programmes.
• Government defends the country against attack from other countries. The armed forces perform this function.
• It makes laws which guide the citizens. These laws help to ensure that the society is orderly and peaceful.
• It maintains law and order. It does this through the police.
• It administers justice and equity. When people have a dispute, the court settles the dispute and ensures that people get fair judgment.
• Government promotes economic activities. It does this by making laws which will help business people to provide goods and services and also make profit. It maintains roads, seaports, airports and other facilities to enable business people operate easily. It also encourages foreigners to do business in Nigeria.
• Government promotes good relationships between Nigeria and other countries.
• Government ensures that the country develops and makes progress in all sectors.

 

Some Major Values of Government

Some values which government promotes are as follows:

• Accountability: It gives the citizens an account of its services.
• Transparency: It tells the people how money is being spent.
• Promotion of human rights: Government wants the citizens to enjoy their rights.
• Faithfulness and integrity: Government tries to serve the people faithfully. It tries to stand strong on those programmes which would benefit the people. It also tries to pursue the programmes with honesty.
• Justice and equity: it wants everyone to be treated fairly.
• Good governance: The government wants to rule the country so well that all Nigerians would enjoy being Nigerians and enjoy living in Nigeria. It also want foreigners who live in Nigeria to enjoy the country.
• Cordial external relations: Government wants Nigeria to be friendly with other countries. It even helps to restore peace in some countries when there is war in those countries.

Here are some agencies which carry out the functions and services of the government:

• The Central Bank of Nigeria
• All Federal Ministries such as these:
  • Federal Ministry of Education
  • Federal Ministry of Justice
  • Federal Ministry of Finance
  • Federal Ministry of Transportation
  • Federal Ministry of Health
  • Federal Ministry of Defence
  • National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
  • Nigerian Ports Plc
  • National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
  • The Nigerian Army
  • The Nigerian Police Force
  • Nigerian telecommunications
  • Nigerian Postal Services

 

 

Quiz

1. Write out five functions of government.
2. Write out three important values which the government promotes as it carries out its functions.
3. List four federal government ministries.

 

 

 

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