Fourteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

This paper asserts that elite preferences and values not demands emanating from subordinate rank and file officers inform substance and processes of policies. It aims to compare retirement policy frameworks put in place for the public services in Jigawa and Kano States around the themes of philosophy and objectives, stakeholder interests, political support, implementation, and evaluation. Elite theory and the most similar system research design (MSSD) strategy were the analytical framework and method deployed to understand and explain patterns and trends of regularities and incongruities in the retirement policies. Survey techniques and stratified random sampling were employed for data collection and sampling respondents. Findings reveal that retirement policy making, implementation and monitoring, the elite structure is not closed, pyramidal, and unresponsive. Retirees and stakeholders are involved in all of these stages. Consensual element might be absent at legitimation stages, but compliance by retirees and critical stakeholders with the rules and processes of the policies implies acceptance. Recommendations are made for lengthy interface with experts and critical stakeholders on the necessity, kind, and content of the retirement policy during policy framing. Incremental approach reflecting unfolding events and circumstances rather than the will of those in policy making positions should guide decision making. Mechanisms of evaluation, presently largely absent, must be entrenched and routinely observed to determine effects of the policies in both short term and the long range.