CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Records management is a fundamental component of good governance, transparency, and efficient service delivery in public organisations. It involves the systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records to support operational efficiency and accountability (ISO 15489, 2016).  It is unmistakable that the pace of business activities within organizations in the contemporary society is increasing daily due to the evolving technology. The productivity involves volumes of both electronic and physical documents that contain critical information. In many cases, organizations do not understand the complexity of tasks involved in records management until they fail to access a vital record (Abdulrahman, 2015). Records play a significant role in the effective and efficient management of an organization because they store plans and implementation processes of an organization’s services. In both conventional and digital organizations, records stored in either electronic or physical form continue to be viewed as essential documents for administrative documentation. Records provide support for all activities carried out within organizations. Without proper records management, organizations cannot provide the necessary information and support, which in turn may lead to the loss of critical information in institutions. Proper records management practices are essential for an organization’s administration and the smooth running of the operations. Records management involves the incorporation of various practices aimed at proper information management. It also entails the systematic control of all records an organization maintains during the course of their life cycle for the attainment of operational business needs, fiscal and statutory requirements, as well as, the expectation of stakeholders (The National Archives of Scotland, 2013).

Effectual maintenance of corporate information enables fast, reliable and accurate access or retrieval of records. It also ensures that redundant information is timely damaged and that important historic records are efficiently protectedIn the context of public administration, effective records management is essential for informed decision-making, historical preservation, policy continuity, and combating corruption.. Records Management (RM) is also defined as the study of management that is important for the effective and systematic control of record creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition, as well as the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records. Records are vital to the efficient and successful running of an organization, perhaps even more so than any other government activity. Despite the fact that the records management procedure is simpler to use, some businesses still fail to meet the record management requirement. In Nigeria, public sector institutions have faced persistent challenges in managing records effectively due to poor infrastructure, lack of trained personnel, inadequate policies, and low awareness of best practices (Yusof & Chell, 2019).

The introduction of digital records management systems (RMS) has been seen as a viable solution to these challenges. These systems enable the secure and efficient storage, retrieval, and use of records in real-time. However, the effectiveness of these systems in public organisations remains under-researched, particularly in sub-national contexts such as Ekiti State. Studies such as Oladokun and Afolabi (2020) argue that the mere adoption of electronic records systems does not guarantee improved performance unless accompanied by appropriate training, infrastructural support, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. Individuals and organisations rely on them for practically every part of the governance process because they perform critical tasks in society by providing evidence of and information about the transactions that take place between them. Organizations rely on their records to function properly. Records management has to do with everything involving how records are controlled right from when they are created down to when they are finally disposed of. It involves how records are created, received, maintained, used and finally disposed of. It is very important for the success of any business organization. When we say a record, we are simply referring to a document that involves business transaction which has to be documented

Statement of Problem

Effective records management is essential for transparency, accountability, and the smooth functioning of public organisations. In Nigeria, and particularly in Ekiti State, public sector institutions are mandated to maintain comprehensive and reliable records for administrative, legal, and historical purposes. However, despite various policy frameworks and technological advancements, many public organisations in the state continue to struggle with ineffective records management systems. The persistent reliance on manual or semi-digital record-keeping methods has led to frequent issues such as data loss, misfiling, duplication of records, unauthorized access, and delays in service delivery