ROLE PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIA AGRICULTURAL QUARANTINE SERVICE STAFFERS IN PLANT PEST PREVENTION IN NIGERIA LAND BORDERS

Abstract

Arbitrary and illicit importation of plant materials without considering introduction of dangerous
agricultural pests and diseases to our Country and create adverse implication on our national
agricultural economy and safety, necessitated increased call on the government to establish an agency that will reduce or eradicate the menace, hence the establishment of the Nigeria plant quarantine service in 1959 and was saddled with the responsibility of food security and protection of the nation's agricultural economy from being destroyed by dangerous pests, diseases and noxious weeds. In evaluating the performance of this agency,74 officials of the agency were sampled for data collection. The parameters estimated included personal characteristics, expected and actual roles performed, skills possessed and other factors that can impede their performances. The statistical tools used were
frequency tallies, means, percentages, and inferential statistics for hypothesis testing were Chi square and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient. Findings revealed that the staffers were between 30-40 years of age, married, educated and mainly Christians. The study revealed significant relationship between level of role performance of the staffers and age (x2 = 13.22, P<0.05), level of education (÷ = 34.98, P< 0.05), number of their children (x = 40.88, P< 0.05) household size (x2 = 26.51,P< 0.05), attitude (x2 = 0.36, P< 0.05)and professional competence(r = 0.644,P< 0.05). The staffers were involved in the inspection and certification of all plant imports and exports and therefore detected, recorded and reported any contravening materials. The limitations to their performance included lack of motivation in areas of salary and remunerations, transportation, compensation and logistics. The results also revealed that the more trainings and motivation for the staffers the more the increase in competence and performance. Hence, constant evaluation for provision of regular training to build competence and adequate motivation for better performance of staffers of the agency were recommended.