Government Past Questions | West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

Question 21

An association whose ultimate aim is to influence government policies is known as

Options

A) civil service

B) pressure group

C) political party

D) public corporation

The correct answer is B.

Question 22

Membership of pressure groups is usually limited because they

Options

A) pursue specific and narrow objectives

B) promote other people's interests

C) do not have dynamic leadership

D) promote the interest of the government

The correct answer is A.

Question 23

Elections are conducted to

Options

A) provide permanent employment for the people

B) make the people choose their leaders

C) known the number of people in a country

D) know the social amenities in the community

The correct answer is B.

Question 24

Suffrage is also known as

Options

A) franchise

B) plebiscite

C) public opinion

D) electoral college

The correct answer is A.

Question 25

For an election to be fair and free Electoral Commission Must be

Options

A) ready to manipulate results

B) ready to reject criticisms

C) headed by a minister in the executive

D) independent of other institutions of government

The correct answer is D.

Question 26

Which of the following categories of people can vote in periodic elections?

Options

A) Minors

B) Aliens

C) Lunatics

D) Citizens

The correct answer is D.

Question 27

The anonymity of a civil servant means that he

Options

A) is above the law of the land

B) should take part in partisan politics

C) receives neither praise nor blame publicly

D) should be prosecuted for professional misconduct

The correct answer is C.

Question 28

Which of the following functions is performed by the civil service?

Options

A) Enactment of laws

B) Settlement of disputes

C) Appointment of ministers

D) Implementation of policies

The correct answer is D.

Question 29

Public corporations are established to

Options

A) make maximum profits

B) help businessmen

C) provide employment for defeated politicians

D) provide utility services to the public at minimal cost

The correct answer is D.

Explanation:

A Public Corporation is an entity that has been established by an Act of Parliament with the sole aim of providing services to the public at a reasonably priced rate. Some of these services include, but is not limited to, water, electricity, postal and telecommunication, public broadcast.

Question 30

A minister controls public corporation by

Options

A) provide the corporation's finances

B) auditing the accounts of the corporation personally

C) criticizing the corporation through the mass media

D) ensuring the effective administration of the corporation

The correct answer is D.


Question 31

An institution of government that makes bye-laws is the

Options

A) judiciary

B) executive

C) legislature

D) local authorities

The correct answer is D.

Question 32

Local governments are created to

Options

A) give more powers to the traditional rulers

B) bring the government closer to the people

C) make the people obey more of the local laws

D) take over the functions of the central government

The correct answer is B.

Question 33

Some pre-colonial West African governments were democratic because of the existence of

Options

A) powerful traditional rulers

B) age grades

C) religious institutions

D) checks and balances

The correct answer is D.

Question 34

One of the measures introduced by indirect rule was

Options

A) collection and keeping of taxes by the chiefs only

B) not recognizing traditional institutions

C) fixing and collection of taxes by British officials themselves

D) exclusion of the educated elite from the colonial administration

The correct answer is D.

Question 35

Which of the following policies was replaced by the French policy of a association?

Options

A) Apartheid

B) Assimilation

C) Indirect rule

D) Frenchification

The correct answer is B.

Question 36

The appointment and deposition of chiefs by their people was a demand of the

Options

A) Pan African Movements

B) National Congress of British West Africa

C) West African Students' Union

D) West African Youth League

The correct answer is A.

Question 37

The desire for constitutional development in British West African Colonies was 'as a result of the

Options

A) rigidity of the constitution

B) desire of the British to review the constitution

C) power of traditional rulers in British West Africa

D) growing agitation of the people for political independence

The correct answer is D.

Question 38

The following are features of military regimes except

Options

A) respect for human rights

B) suspension of the constitution

C) rules by decrees and edicts

D) curtailment of human rights

The correct answer is A.

Question 39

Military regimes in West Africa have often made use of civilians because

Options

A) only civilians can make decrees

B) the soldiers are democratic

C) civilians are part of the armed forces

D) they need the experience of civilians in government

The correct answer is D.

Question 40

One criticism leveled against the pre-independence political parties in West Africa was that some of them

Options

A) did not possess credible programmes

B) did not contribute to political development

C) were not national in outlook

D) were instruments of the colonial administration

The correct answer is C.

NEXT