EVALUATION OF FINANCIAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI NIGERIA

Records in any organization is the most basic and crucial asset. Recorded information requires effective and efficient Records management practices to ensure ease of access and retrieval. Management of records in Nasarawa State University, Keffi is majorly characterized by poor Records management practices. The Aim of the study was to evaluate records management practices at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and to suggest ways in which these practices can be enhanced. The objectives of this study were: to establish the existing records management practices at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi; to examine whether records management practices conform to national legislations, policies and guidelines; to examine whether records management practices at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi conform to records management standards; to establish challenges facing the Nasarawa State University, Keffi records management practices and to suggest how records management practices can be enhanced by use of best practices. The study adopted a mixed research method using case study approach. The study population was 360 with a sample size of 279 involving policy makers, policy implementers and operational staff. The study used probability sampling method in which stratified sampling technique was used to categorize the respondents. Data was collected through interviews and administration of questionnaires using predesigned questionnaires and interview schedule. A pilot study was conducted to pre-test the validity and reliability of data collection instrument using pre-test check list. The key findings of the study were that: there is no framework for effective and efficient records management; there are no institutional policies, guidelines and regulations for records management and basic record management skills among staff were inadequate. The study concluded that records management is not adequately effective and efficient. The study recommended that: the Parliamentary Services Commission should develop an operational framework for effective and efficient records management, to formulate institutional policies guidelines and regulations for records management and provide basic records management skill to staff.