Public corporations can be controlled by

Analyze the question The question asks about the ways public corporations (government-owned enterprises such as NNPC, NEPA/PHCN, Nigerian Railway Corporation) are controlled. In Government, "control" refers to the external checks the state uses to make sure these bodies act responsibly and in the public interest.

Explain the concept Public corporations are established by an Act of the National Assembly or a decree/edict. Although they have some operational independence, they are controlled in the following ways:

1. Ministerial (executive) control – the supervising minister appoints board members and gives policy directions.
2. Legislative control – the National Assembly can create, probe, fund, or dissolve them through laws, committees, and budget approvals.
3. Judicial control – the courts can review their actions and hold them accountable if they act outside the law (ultra vires) or breach citizens' rights. Citizens can sue a public corporation.
4. Financial control – through audits and budget approvals.
5. Public control – via the press, public complaints, and the Public Complaints Commission.

Solution: checking each option

• A. Board of Directors – The board is the internal governing body that runs the corporation. It is part of the corporation's own structure and does not exercise outside control over it.
• B. Judicial control – This is a recognized external method of controlling public corporations, since courts can check abuse of power and enforce legality. ✔
• C. Ownership control – This is not a standard named category of control in the Government syllabus.
• D. Management control – Management is internal administration, not an external control mechanism.

Answer The correct option is B. Judicial control.

Exam tip When you see "controlled by" for public corporations, think of outside checks: Ministerial, Legislative, Judicial, Financial, and Public. Internal bodies like the Board of Directors and Management run the corporation, while external bodies control it. A simple memory aid is MLJ-FP.