Public corporation can operate in a more efficient manner if they are ________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks what condition lets public corporations (government-owned bodies like NNPC, NEPA/PHCN, Nigerian Ports Authority) run more efficiently.

Step 2: Explain the concept Public corporations are set up by an Act of the legislature or a decree to provide services or carry out commercial activities. They are meant to run on business principles, with autonomy over daily management, hiring, and finance. In Nigeria, their efficiency has often suffered from:

• Appointment of unqualified people for political reasons
• Interference in contracts and decisions
• Use of the corporation as a source of patronage

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Free from political interference: Correct. Autonomy lets professionals manage the corporation based on merit and commercial sense.
• B. Controlled by the Judicial Service Commission: Wrong. This body deals with appointments and discipline of judicial officers, not business management.
• C. Under the head of the civil service: Wrong. This would add bureaucracy and red tape, which reduces efficiency.
• D. Controlled by the military: Wrong. Military control is not designed for commercial management and is not a recognized way of improving efficiency.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. free from political interference.

Exam tip: In Government questions about the efficiency of public corporations, look for keywords like "autonomy," "professional management," or "free from interference." Options that add more government or bureaucratic control are usually wrong.