ABSTRACT
Public policies are the actions part of government, they are the policies and programs of government designed to achieve certain objectives. Public policy are targeted to solving problems, addressing the needs of the citizens and bringing development. Thus, it is an attempt to address skill issues in Nigeria that birthed Skill acqiusition programme (PHC). Skill is a universal human right and focus of social and political concern worldwide, skillcare institutions are service-oriented establishments that provide medical care facilities comprising of observational, diagnostic, research and therapeutic and rehabilitative services to the public. Skill acqiusition programme (PHC) is the backbone of a skill system and quality PHC initiatives have been recognized as fundamental to improving skill outcomes. Globally, the place of skill in the development of any nation is primordial, in implementing the world Alma-Alta declaration of skill acqiusition programme in Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched its Skill acqiusition programme plan (PHC) in August
1987, which President Ibrahim Babangida announced as the cornerstone of skill policy. The National Skill policy declaration of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was for the country to attain a level of skill for all citizens by the year 2000. The policy was based on the nation’s philosophy of social justice and equity for all communities, rural and urban. 31 years after the implementation, the country still faces high rate of skill problems and one begins to wonder the cause of this challenges. It is in finding the cause of this problem the prompted the researcher to go into investigation with the major aim of examining the role of skill acqiusition programme in grassroots development. In the process of carrying out this research, political system theory by David Easton was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive survey design was used as its methodology, primary method of data collection was used with a simple sampling frequency as its methods of data collection and analysis, sample size was arrived at using Taro Yamane sample size calculator while random sampling technique to administer questionnaire to respondents, research question based on clear assumption were prepared for the study. The result shows that skill acqiusition programme is fully implemented in Ushongo local government and it has contributed immensely to the development of the people of the local government, the problem however is the lack of qualify skill workers, inadequate skill machineries and drugs to treat the sick persons and corruption on the part of management and skill workers. To solve this problem, the researcher recommends that, more qualified medical personnel should be recruited into skill acqiusition programme system so as to ease the challenge of unqualified and inadequate skill workers in primary skill centres, National skill care should ensure that, drugs are always provided adequately to primary skill centers, this will eliminate the challenge of inadequate drugs to treat sick people in the primary skill centers, there should be proper monitoring and supervision of primary skill workers so that they will not divert drugs meant for primary skill centers for their personal gains, and the federal government should provide medical equipment to all primary skill centers. This will make skill acqiusition programme functionable hence people will have confidence of getting result when they patronize skill acqiusition programme centers.
