ABSTRACT

This research work investigated the impact of secretaries on improving the quality of services rendered by NITEL Plc, Enugu. The research work sincerely brought out the impact of secretaries on improving the quality of services rendered by NITEL Plc, to their customers. The researcher identified the research problems and use them to raise four research questions. Literature relating to the topic under study was review through both primary and secondary sources of literature. The researcher used descriptive research method and design that enable her to seek for experts onions on the topic as well as 74 respondents as the sample size used to present the population of the study. She analyzed the data for the study and tested the findings of the study. The findings of the study showed that the impact of secretaries in improving the quality of services rendered by Nigeria Telecommunication Plc NITEL) Enugu state. The researcher summarized the topic under study drawn from conclusion and made recommendation based on the findings she made.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the study:

Government owned establishments are those public corporations which government established in order to carry out special task for the welfare of its citizens.  These tasks cannot be carried out by private individuals or people due to their nature, their financial involvement and the effectiveness of its services.  It can be federal or state owned establishments.  Some of the federal owned establishments are Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Nigeria Telecommunication Limited (NITEL), Nigeria Postal Agency (NIPOST), Nigeria Railway Corporation (NBC), Nigeria Airways Corporation (NAC), etc.

Power Holding Company of Nigeria is responsible for the generation and distribution of power or electricity nationwide.  Nigeria Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) is responsible or is in charge of telephones, Telex, Telefax and Radio messages installation and servicing of Telecom equipment.  Nigeria Postal Agency (NIPOST) on the other hand, are responsible for the postal throughout the country.  Nigeria Coal Corporation is responsible for the mining and marketing of coal in the country.  The Nigeria Railway Corporation is responsible for the transport by train, that is, those traveling by train.  Nigeria Airway Corporation is responsible for all transport by air, while the Broadcasting Corporation are responsible for broadcast (radio and television).

Some of the state owned corporations are like the Enugu State Water Corporation, Enugu State Housing Corporation.  The Enugu Water Corporation is responsible for treatment and distribution of water to the consumer in Enugu State.  All these establishments or corporation are not profit oriented establishments this, the Government to ensure equitable distribution of its services to the generality of the people.  The corporations are left to be managed by private individuals, over profiteering will be detrimental to the citizens.

0.1     Statement of Problem

The government of any nation has the legitimate responsibility of providing certain essential services for the welfare of all her subjects that sometimes, government hijacks the provision of certain essential services which, if left to the hands of private individuals would head to outright exploitation of the masses, thus, the rational for the establishment of certain government owned corporations. 

These establishments are known to have seen rendering certain services to people.  At times, the quality of their services are badly criticized. The problem is that it has not been known if secretaries in those establishments do contribute at all towards the improvement of the quality of services which their organizations render to the public.  It has also not been known how well the management of those government owned establishments appreciate the duties of secretaries. Hence, the research work determined in depth the impact of secretaries in improving the quality in Enugu State, special emphasis should, however, be placed on NITEL Plc, Enugu.

0.2     Purpose Of The Study:

The main purpose of this study is to find out the contributions of secretaries in enhancing the qualities of services provided by NITEL Plc, Enugu, specially the study to find out:

a)          What are the duties of secretaries in NITEL Plc

b)          Whether the secretaries are qualified in performing those duties.

c)           If that duties are important to the total functioning of NITEL Plc.

d)          If secretaries are happy performing those duties.

e)           To find out if they encounter any problem when performing those duties.

0.3     Scope of the Study

This study determines only the contributions of secretaries in improving the quality of services rendered by NITEL Plc in Enugu Urban.

0.4     Significance Of The Study

This study, “the impact of secretaries in improving the quality of services rendered by government establishments” is significant in that shows the importance of secretaries in improving or adding more quality to the services rendered by government establishments or parastatals in order to correct this misunderstood usage of the word secretary.

According to the definition given by National Secretaries Association (1988), a secretary is an executive assistant who possesses a mastery of office skill, who demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who exercise initiative and judgment and makes decision within the scope of an assigned authority.  From this definition, one can see that secretaries perform a lot of responsibilities in any organization or establishments. An establishment can perform well on the absent of manager as far as there is an efficient secretary in the establishment.

Therefore, the study will go a long way to show how important secretaries are in every government establishment, thereby misusing secretary and typist in their delegation of duties.

Furthermore, the study will help practicing and intending secretaries to the required impacts used in improving the quality of services in the government establishments.

0.5     Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the research what duties of secretaries in NITEL Plc?

a)                To what extent are the secretaries qualified and perform those functions?

b)                What benefit does these quality services rendered to the total functioning of NITEL PLC?

c)                To  what extent does it rendered those services in performing those duties.