THE ROLE OF ACCOUNTING IN THE CONTROL OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

1.1  INTRODUCTION

In most developing countries including Nigeria, government participation in economic activity is usually significant. One of the ways through which government has intervened in Nigerian economy is through the establishment of public enterprises and statutory bodies operating services of an economic or social character on behalf of the government. Since the colonial era, especially after independence in 1960, Nigerian public enterprises have witnessed a steady growth unit recently. Its Olisa (1988:133) pet it. Beginning as a trickle in the period between this era of the second world war and Nigeria attainment of independence the creation of public corporations had risen to flood level since independence and his maintained a steady growth. The rational behind the establishment of public enterprises in Nigeria are many. Some of the reason include: generating revenue, they would add to available rational capital for the support of development and welfare programme, making to be controlled by a few individual, it possible for important profitable enterprises to be controlled by a few individual or group, organization certain critical activities national survival and economic stability and providing employment opportunities (Ademolukun 1983).

However, after a long period of growing, starts intervention in the Nigerian economy through public enterprises, the and of 1980’s onwards had witnessed a reversed which has sometimes been dramatic in public opinion and therefore public policy. This has been brought by the persistent losses which state enterprises that have been running over fears. Consequently, there has been a willingness to look at alternative policy strategies for the achievement of economic development. At the forefront of these strategies is the minimization privatization of public enterprises. In Nigeria, public enterprises are engaged in a while spectrum of economic activities including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, commerce and services. The classification of public enterprises in Nigeria, had been made according to varieties of criteria by different authorities. The public service review commission (1975:101) classified public sector int. Public utilities Regulatory of service body Financial institutions Commercial ad industrial enterprises Being a mixed economy, individuals also own and operate private enterprises. A firm classified as private enterprises when it is founded and managed by an individual and Ora group of individual. These firms are expected to be registered in the local government within which they operate.