RECORDS MANAGEMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE ARM OF GOVERNMENT

(A CASE STUDY OF NORTH-WESTERN STATES OF NIGERIA)

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Education

ABSTRACT
This research was conducted to investigate records management practicein the Legislative arm of governments of States in the Northwestern Nigeria. .A survey design was adoptedand the research instruments used were questionnaire, interview and observation. The population of the study comprised the seven State Houses of Assembly and their 236 immediate stake holders, who comprised 215 Legislative members, seven Clarks of the respective houses and 14 LegislativeLibrarians. The total population was taken as sample because of their differences. Thestudy sought answers to the types of records generated, their organization, retention, disposal, and the effect of the use of records on the performance of Legislators. The major findingsrevealed that those records had impacts on the performance of legislators, because they were used to facilitate decision making, verification/ clarification of matters and also as evidence in the courts or panels of investigation. The legislature and the executive arms of government were the major users of records, and that alphabetical order, subject order and the use of vertical files were the major methods used in organizing records. Similarly, the retrieval devices used include catalogues, finding aids, subject indexes are the retrieval devices used in thestate legislative houses of Northwestern States of Nigeria. Recommendations were proffered, which included generation and maintenance of records in electronic formats and qualified and trained records managers should be employed to work hand- in- hand with the librarians to help in the proper organization of records in the legislative arm of governments in the Northwestern States of Nigeria. It was also recommended that records in electronic formats be generated and maintained in the state legislative arm of governments.