State-Civil Society Relations in the Era of Neoliberal Reforms: An Assessment of the Struggle in Nigeria’s Pension Reform, 2004 – 2014

Okoli, Rowland Chukwuma (2016) State-Civil Society Relations in the Era of Neoliberal Reforms: An Assessment of the Struggle in Nigeria’s Pension Reform, 2004 – 2014. In: 3rd International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) Africa Regional Network Conference, Accra, Ghana, 19-20 April, 2016, Accra, Ghana.

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Abstract

One of the manifestations of neoliberal agenda is the implementation of contributory pension scheme (CPS) as part of the overarching neoliberal reforms pursued in some countries of the global ‘South’. This study examined how implementation of the CPS as part of Nigeria’s neoliberal reform agenda shaped the nature of demands pushed by civil society organizations (CSOs), and how such demands influenced state-CSOs relationship in Nigeria between 2004 and 2014. Case study research design was adopted, while secondary and primary data obtained via documentary method and key informant interview respectively, were analyzed using content analysis. With specific focus on the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU), the study borrowed largely from the Political Opportunity Structure theory to argue that pension reform implemented by the Nigerian government between 2004 and 2014, impacted on the nature of state-CSOs relationship in the country. I argued that the CPS, encapsulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004 (Now PRA, 2014) was modified to grant concession to ASUU in response to its overt demands for protection from the risks associated with the new scheme. The study concludes that most CSOs seek protection from policies emanating from neoliberal reforms instead resisting the reforms entirely, while government on its own tends to grant concession to the CSOs in order to douse resistance to implementation of such reforms. The study advocates that the state should continue to strike balance between meeting the demands of CSOs and pressures placed on it by international agencies to implement neoliberal reforms.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
Depositing User:	mrs chioma hannah
Date Deposited:	18 Apr 2019 09:25
Last Modified:	18 Apr 2019 09:25
URI:	http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/1161

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