One of the problems which beset many governments today is corruption. With the era of globalization, countries are finding ways on how to eradicate corruption in order to be globally competitive. Investors will definitely not invest in countries whose governments are known to be corrupt. The question that bugs us now is whether corruption can be eradicated or at least be prevented. This essay hopes to argue that corruption can be prevented and can be removed.
Corruption figures worldwide are horrendous. According to the Tax Justice Network, almost $30 trillion have been embezzled in the last 15 years by businessmen who work with corrupt government officials. In China alone, for the period 2000 to 2011, approximately $4 trillion corruption profits have been channeled into some offshore financial havens. For Russia, corruption figures are close to $1 trillion while the European Union records almost $1.2 trillion. These amounts prove how grave the problem of corruption has become.
Eliminating corruption is not easy because it is already deeply-rooted in most societies. It is a common phenomenon especially in poor and underdeveloped countries. In fact, some countries blame their underdevelopment due to the existence of corruption among government agencies and public officials. There are ways to remove corruption. One method of eliminating corruption is by giving competitive salaries to employees in the government. Most employees who work in government agencies and institutions receive low wages; thus, it is very tempting for them to accept bribes.
In Nigeria where corruption is systematic, Ayobami suggests that a transformation in the education of the public is necessary. He espouses the idea that there is a need for reformation and re-orientation of the minds and hearts of the citizens for them to clearly see the effect of corruption on their country’s economic development. Another solution that he proposes is the strict enforcement of the Anti-Corruption Law. If the corrupt officials and employees realize that the government is serious in punishing corrupt men in the government, then they will think twice before accepting bribes. The improvement of the socio-political and economic lives of the people is another way to address corruption. Corruption will definitely be reduced if the people are satisfied with their salaries and if they are able to provide their families with the basic necessities. A government which can give their citizenry their social and economic needs is already taking the right step towards the curbing of corruption.
One simple way of combating corruption is by installing CCTV cameras in government agencies. Although it may not totally stop bribery among government employees, it can serve as a deterrent knowing that there is a watchful eye in the office. Corruption can also be prevented if government procedures are made simpler. If the process of getting a license or permit becomes less complicated, people will not have to bribe anyone just to get things done immediately. The less the paper trail, the less bribery can happen among personnel who handles these papers. Other government offices have started to create transactions online instead of going personally in the offices. Online payments through banks are being designed to eliminate the passing of money from one hand to another.
The media has a great role to play in curbing corruption. They should be responsible enough to expose scams or corruption among high ranking government officials.
Some people contend that corruption can never be eliminated because it is ingrained in every human being. They claim that as long as there is greed, there will always be corruption. But one still believes that there is good in every one; thus, corruption can still be eliminated though it may take a long time.
Anechiarico and Jacobs sum up the elimination of corruption by stating that instituting reforms that will improve the accountability of the government officials and public servants to citizens are effective means. They go on further to say that the basic corrupt incentives should be discarded.
As mentioned above, corruption profits have found its way in secret financial havens. This is the reason why it should be emphasized that to eliminate corruption, nations should look into the cross-border nature of the problem. Countries should cooperate with each other to effectively police the flow of “dirty money” from one country to another. Lebedev contends that an international anti-corruption force should be created to prevent corrupt officials from diverting their gains from corruption (2014). This move can also pave the way to an easier way of recovering the money that has been looted out from one’s country. Why is there a need to eliminate corruption? The answer is simple. Corruption affects the lives of people and only when it is eradicated that each member of society can have a better life. One believes that there is hope. Corruption can be eliminated. Each person has a moral obligation to help fight corruption. The responsibility to remove corruption does not rely solely on the government. Every citizen has a role in fighting the moral dilemma, that is corruption. It has to start with the common man. So the next time one gets caught of a traffic violation, forget the bribe and accept the ticket because the crusade has to start somewhere.
References
Anechiarico, F., & Jacobs, J. B. (1996). The Pursuit of Absolute Integrity: How Corruption Control Makes Government. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Ayobami, O. O. (2011). Corruption eradication in Nigeria: An appraisal. Library Philosophy and Practice.
Lebedev, A. (2014, February 26). A world corruption police. The New York Times.
Mindcontroversy.com. (2013). How to stop corruption| 10 tips for effective prevention & eradication. Retrieved from mindcontroversy.com: http://www.mindcontroversy.com/how-stop-corruption-eradication/
Copies of the Sources:
Source#1: Cannot be provided since it is a book.
Source#2
http://unllib.unl.edu/LPP/
Library Philosophy and Practice 2011
ISSN 1522-0222
Corruption Eradication in Nigeria: An Appraisal
Oyinola Oluwagmamiga Ayobami
Introduction
Some of the things that cause poverty in Nigeria are the Nigerian ruling and business elite. The ruling elite lack the kind of philosophical and ideological vision and orientation that is committed to developing "a dream society." They have no dream beyond the satisfaction of desires. This paper examines the nature of corruption in Nigeria.
Definition
Corruption is a social problem that has interested many scholars. Ruzindana (1999) asserts that corruption in Africa is a problem of routine deviation from established standards and norms by public officials and parties with whom they interact. He also identifisd the types of corruption in Africa as bribery, private gain, and other benefits to non-existent workers and pensioners (called ghost workers). The dishonest and illegal behavior exhibited especially by people in authority for their personal gain is corruption. According to the ICPC Act (section 2), corruption includes vices like bribery, fraud, and other related offences. Corruption is the abuse or misuse of power or position of trust for personal or group benefit (monetary or otherwise).
Corruption is a symptom of numerous difficulties within contemporary societies. It usually involves more than one party. It takes a form of an organized crime. At times, an organization can be established on corruption to beget corruption. Gbenga (2008) asserts that corruption is contagious. According to thfe perception index of Transparency International, Nigeria was ranked 144th out of the 146 countries, beating Bangladesh and Haiti to last position. An analysis of the anti-graft/anti-corruption laws in Nigeria shows that corruption will continue in spite of the laws because the perpetrators do not fear any consequences. It is now dawning on the Nigerian public that the so-called private enterprise and legislators are free from scrutiny, and governors claim to be immune. Corruption is found in the award of contracts, promotion of staff, dispensation of justice, and misuse of public offices, positions, and privileges, embezzlement of public funds, public books, publications, documents, valuable security, and accounts. Corruption can be systematic in nature and affect the whole life of an organization or society.
Corruption in Nigeria
John Locke outlined the doctrine of the separation of powers, indicating the danger of oppressive and arbitrary rule when all functions of government are exercised by a single person or institution. The growing corruption in Nigeria can be traced to people holding power at the federal, state, and local government levels. Corruption does not involve just people in government, but also to people in both private and public positions and even traditional rulers .
President Olusegun Obasanjo presented a bill to the national assembly on “the prohibition and punishment of bribery, corruption, and other related offences bill of 1999”. Obasanjo's regime has certainly fired the most critical shot at corruption in Nigeria in recent times. At the federal level, it cannot be business as usual in Nigeria. Corruption has also spread to both the state and local government levels, as well as some decentralized centers of power and authority.
Thomson (2004) reports on the then National Electric Power Authority (NEPA):
There were powerful views on the problems of corruption. You need tip them to get them to rectify a problem, said one, while some people in the focus group thought transformer were being vandalized by NEPA officials to warrant either replacement or repair of the transformer.
Within the educational sector in Nigeria, especially from secondary to university levels, corruption is very pervasive, and most of which is not in the public eye. Corruption in education includes:
Corrupt Practices by Parents of Students
Parents are known to have used unorthodox means to influence their children's or wards' admission to federal government secondary schools, commonly referred to as unity schools. A high JAMB score is critical for admission in to the university in Nigeria, and this has led to cheating by some students and parents. There are expensive coaching centers that charge exorbitant fees to guarantee a minimum score of 300 in the JAMB score, which is been orchestrated by coaching centers through aiding and abetting cheating in the JAMB examination with the connivance of JAMB officials.
Corrupt Practices by Lecturers
Within the university system, some students resort to "sorting" (finding ways of purchasing of high and unmerited mark from a lecturer in order to enhance the grade in their final examination.) Such students will then say they have gone into the university and having what they not work for. Lecturers and students print fake receipts, which they use in collecting school fees, and some unsuspecting students are usually discovered by the audit department.
Corrupt Practice by Police
It has been alleged that some unscruplous officers rent firearms to criminals who use them to harass the public and engage in highway robberies. The police are also alleged to be collecting an unauthorized fee before granting bail to anyone who is arrested. Some police in traffic control collect a graduated illegal charge on all operators of inter- and intra-city. Some tax officials are alleged to be using two types of receipts to collect revenue. Once receipt is the original, and hence genuine, while the second is usually a false one for the collector.s private use, thus depriving government of its legitimate revenue (Bello Iman 2005)
Causes of Corruption in Nigeria
With unchecked, unbridled, and uncontrolled, power, humans become corrupt. According to Thomas Hobbes, “life becomes solitary, nasty, brutish, and short." Our previous colonial background has been identified by scholars. Our colonial heritage has altered our values and perception of morality; some of the causes of corruption are:
- Trade Restriction. This is Government-induced source of rent a seeking/corruption. The restriction on importation of foreign automobiles are examples of how government officials and politicians can make quick money via rent seeking/corruption.
- Government subsidies. When government allocates scarce recourses to individuals and firms using legal criteria other than the ability or willingness to pay, corruption is likely to be the result. Corruption can thrive under industrial policies that allow poorly-targeted subsidies to be appropriated by firms for which they are not intended.
- Price controls. The purpose is to lower the price of some goods below market value. For social and political reason, these are also a source of corruption.
- Low wages in civil service. When public wages are low, public servants may be compelled to use their official positions to collect bribes as a way of making ends meet, particularly when the chances of being caught are low.
- Sociological factors. Muilti-ethnic societies may be more likely to fall prey to corruption as a result of failure to manage ethnic conflict in a way that is fair to everyone.
Effect of Corruption on Nation-Building
Many have noted the effects of corruption on nation-building. Development scholars observe this effect. Corruption has an adverse effect on social and economic development and also in building a nation. The effects include:
- Diversion of development resources for private gain
- Misallocation of talent
- Lost tax revenue
- Negative impact on quality of infrastructure and public services
- Slowing of economic growth.
Role of Law Enforcement in Combating Corruption
Before President Olusegun Obasanjo's regime, the police and some related agencies were the only ones fighting corruption. When Obasanjo became president in 1999, the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC) were put in place, they have dealt seriously with the pandemic situation. The EFCC and ICPC have a number of roles in fighting corruption in Nigeria. The ICPC is not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority. The EFCC collaborates with international and local agencies.
Solutions
In order to prevent corruption from happening at all, Nigerian should emphasis transparency, integrity, and accountability in all their private and public transaction. There Achanism Model is named for Achan who appears in the Old Testament of the Bible. Achan in the scripture was avaricious (Joshua 7). He was caught and his entire family was severely dealt with. His children, who might have expected to inherit the proceeds of his illegal act were not allowed to do so. The solution is as follows:
- Social Transformation. Rransformation in education of the public is a necessary factor in social transformation. There is need for formation and reformation, orientation and re-orientation of the minds and heart of Nigerians, for them to see that corruption is the enemy of development.
- Enforcement of Anti-Corruption Law. The law should be enforced to its fullest and without fear and favor.
- Improvement of Sociopolitical and Economic Life. This is another weapon against corruption in Nigeria. The multiplying effects of this improvement will reduce the tendency of public servants to demand and take bribes and get involved in other corrupt practices.
Conclusion
Corruption in Nigeria is systematic, and to address the problem a systematic approach is needed. To curb and eventually eradicate corruption, children, youth, and adults must be given the power to distinguish right from wrong. All schools should return to the teaching of moral education to empower children with the spirit of stewardship, while adults live exemplary lives, reflecting truth, kindness, dignity of labour, and integrity. Permit me to conclude with this popular Yoruba moral song on corruption.
1. Kini ni no fole se laye timo wa (2x) Laye ti mo wa kaka kin jale Kaka kin jale makuku deru. Kini ni no fole se laye timo wa. 2. Eni to jale adele ejo (2x) Adajo awa fewon si lese Fewon si lese bi olugbe Eni to jale Adele ejo 3. Aye ema fole segbe ti moni (2x) Egbe ti moni ewon ko sun won Ewon ko sun won fomoluwabi Aye ema fole segbe ti mo ni. 4. Oluwa ma fole segbe ti mo ni (2x) Egbe ti mo ni kaka kin jale Kaka kojale bo ba ku to Aye ema fole s’gbe ti mo ni. 5. Beni to jaleba Lola laye(2x) Balola laye kole rorun wo Kole rorun wo bolojo bade Beni to jale Balola laye. The condition of peace of mind is contentment. Thirst for ease of mind. Get satisfaction, be placed with what you have changed to grow, and serve our nation, for God’s sake. Look to see the miseries and damages of graft. Listen today to learn and beautify your society
References
I.B. Bello-Imam (2005).The war against corruption in Nigeria: Prospects and problems.
The Guardian Newspaper. "EFCC; ICPC, record average performance, says poll. April 7 page 13
Olusegun Obasanjo (1990). Inaugural Address, "Was a new dawn delivered on May 29."
Hassan A. Saliu, Ayodele, et al. (2006). The National Question and Some Selected Topics and Issues in Nigeria.
Lai Olurode, et al. Poverty, corruption, social policy and social development.
Haralambous and Horbon (2004). Themes and Perspectives in Sociology. 6th Ed.
Dissertations
Dr (Mrs.); E.A Ogunsanya; (2006). A paper presented on social implication of graft in Nigeria polity Christian, Muslim, and traditional belief (practical orientation)
Isaac A. Olomolaiye ;( 2006). Application of anti-graft act to the private sector: Implication for management and ethics.
Ajayi, Vincent (2006). Sociology of bribery and corruption in Nigerian society
Source#3
A World Corruption Police
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Whenever government representatives from around the world meet, they’re often able to make progress in many areas of common interest: combating climate change, poverty, the drug trade, Islamic extremism, human trafficking and modern-day slavery, even cybercrime — the list is long. What these officials often fail to dwell upon is corruption. All of their nations suffer from it; they agree it’s a cancer of our age and should be stamped out. But they do precious little about it.
This is bizarre, when you consider the scale of the problem. What is corruption? The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power.” And “by those in power” I would include those working for corporations and institutions that are part of the ruling elite.
According to the Tax Justice Network, an independent group promoting efforts to curb tax avoidance, crooked business people, working with corrupt officials, have embezzled $30 trillion over the last 15 years — or half of the world’s annual gross domestic product.
In the West, the best-known figures linked to high-level fraud include Bernie Madoff, Allen Stanford, Jérôme Kerviel of Société Générale, Kweku Adoboli of UBS. And everyone knows of the subprime debt scandal and the criminal rigging of the Libor rate. In my country, Russia, there have been similar scams: the theft of $5 billion from Bank of Moscow; $4 billion from BTA Bank and AMT Bank; $4 billion from Rosukrenergo; $3 billion from Globex and Sviaz Bank; $2 billion from Russian Agricultural Bank; $1 billion from Rosagroleasing; and $1 billion from VEFK Bank.
Many of the perpetrators of these scams have been able to move abroad, where they draw upon the expertise of what I term the “financial services oligarchy” of international banks, law firms and accountants to ensure they can continue to live off the proceeds of their crimes. Some, like Andrei Borodin, former chief executive of Bank of Moscow, have been granted political asylum (Mr. Borodin, in Britain).
Sergei Pugachev, owner of the bankrupt Mezhprombank; Viktor Khrapunov, former mayor of Almaty, Kazakhstan; and the wife of Yuri Luzhkov, former mayor of Moscow, have all settled freely in the European Union or Switzerland, where they enjoy super-rich lifestyles. They contend that in their home countries they would be persecuted for their political views — though not much was known about their politics until they moved overseas; even if they were involved in politics at all, they tended to align themselves with the ruling powers.
Various nations have launched initiatives to tackle corruption. But these moves ignore the international, cross-border nature of the problem: Recovering stolen assets inevitably involves some degree of cooperation with another jurisdiction. But countering this is an entire industry devoted to helping people hide their wealth overseas, far from the prying eyes of the authorities. If governments want to have any chance of recovering what has been lost, they must join together to create an international anticorruption force, along the lines of Interpol, to defeat these financial oligarchs.
The new organization should have wide powers. It would not, however, be expensive to run (my estimate is about $70 million a year). Its remit would be to raise awareness about corruption; explain why it matters; and cross national borders to seize suspects and assets.
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Without such a body, it is difficult to see how the battle against corruption can be won. Ranged against national police forces and investigators is an entire corps of professional advisory firms well-versed in assisting those who want to put their wealth beyond the authorities’ reach. Aiding and abetting those who have committed fraud are offshore tax havens that structure their laws to help those seeking total secrecy and security. This oligarchy can be broken only if governments fight like with like — by creating a well-equipped sleuthing agency that is not afraid of anybody or aligned with any particular nation.
Unlike the United Nations and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, an international anticorruption body would move fast and be flexible. At present, if someone steals $1 billion and heads for an offshore haven, it is practically impossible to take legal action against him or her. Recovery of the funds is even more unlikely; it would take years and cost a fortune.
We have to take the fight to the criminals and their well-paid, well-connected helpers. When a major corruption scandal erupts, there are predictable howls of rage. But ask yourself: How many of the perpetrators are ever caught, how much of the profits are ever recovered?
We’ve seen a slew of these cases in recent years. As transferring money and communications get quicker and easier, there’s no doubt such fraud is on the increase. The sums of money involved are also growing just as fast.
We need to put a stop to this. Governments around the world are struggling to raise funds to counter the global downturn, but they can’t simply keep increasing taxes on the middle- and higher-income brackets. Rather, they must pursue cash anywhere they can — and one source has to be the proceeds of corruption. (After all, in many cases, it’s government money that was spirited away in the first place.)
I propose a relatively cheap, effective solution to one of the world’s most pressing issues: an international body to police corruption. And we must have it now, not at some date far into the future. It’s our money — and we want it back.
Alexander Lebedev, a businessman and former senior officer in the K.G.B., is an owner of the Moscow newspaper Novaya Gazeta and publisher of The London Evening Standard and The Independent.
Source#4
How to stop corruption| 10 tips for effective prevention & eradication
Corruption is a habit and hence everyone who is in the position are susceptible to it.
There are people who are ready to compete for those jobs with greater chances of corruption and those who don’t have the chance, expect to minimize the corruption and keep complaining about it.
But prevention and eradication of corruption is an absolute requirement for better social and public life. This corruption takes an interesting turn in such a way that everyone becomes corrupt in some other sort if situation permits. The below mentioned tips are written from perspective of corruption in India.
Yet corruption is prevalent in all the countries in some or other way.
How to stop corruption? tips to prevent corruption
1. Give better salary in govt jobs: Many employees in government positions receive low salary like clerks, office staff etc. Hence they expect to make money by bribery. For this they try to delay the work for so long that the client is fed up and opts for bribery for progress in the work.
2. Increase the number of workers: In many offices of the government sector, the work load has gone up drastically but the recruitment of vacancies has declined This gives an option for delaying the work by officials and expect monetary or other benefits for faster completion.
3. Law to dismiss from service if found to be involved in corruption. This seems a better option. For instance if you see cases where anti-corruption bureau rides an officers home and finds disproportionate assets, the officer is suspended from employment and taken for judicial trials. But after couple of years you will find them in employment at same or even better positions. So this creates no fear among the officials against corruption.
4. Keep transactions online and provide bill for every purchase: Many of them do not pay taxes and escape This involves corruption. Making payments online through bank accounts and provision of bills for every transaction involving money.
5. Camera in most govt offices: In every ATM there are camera to keep a watch on the public taking their money. Then why not government offices have cameras to have a watch on the employ performance. Even there are many employ’s who openly take bribe in presence of common men. This public bribery is due to confidence that public wants their work more than the amount they are paying to them as bribes.
6. Speed up the work process in govt institutes: Most corporate offices are in full fledged running by 8- 9 am but the government offices start by 10 to 11 am and wind up by 3.30 to 4 pm with a lunch break of 1& half hour in between. This indicates how much of commitment lies in the work and how fast the work goes on. If there are mistakes in the work or delay in the work, civilians have to run behind those workers to rectify or complete the work. This makes the chances of corruption more or else work is not done or problem rectified.
7. Make Media responsible and fix laws to be so: There are many major scams and corruption events involving media. Though the media is well aware of the corruption happening they stay silent due to their support for some political parties or else their owners get some monetary benefits from the rulers. Even there are many reporters who though come across some scam or corruption, they stay silent without revealing it for press for having received monetary benefits to do so. If media personnel are found to be guilty for not having exposed the scam or corruption intentionally, they have to be prosecuted and their licence be withdrawn.
8. Verify the selection procedures: Many people compete for government jobs and in the process there are corruption happening in the selection of candidates for the posts. So let the selection criteria and procedure used be transparent and any misconduct from this should be punishable.
9. Keep inflation low: This is another factor for keeping corruption high and also persistent. Due to rise in prices, any amount of income seems to be insufficient. This inflation is a corruption involving politicians and businessmen. Businessmen try to rise the prices to sell their inventory or stock of goods at higher price. For this the politicians support them and are paid monetary or other benefits. This is a cheap businesstactic but even the so called richest business magnets play this corruption game.
10. Speed up the judgment and increase the courts: Many cases of corruption take years to be given verdict. This delay in cases creates lack of fear for being corrupt and also huge time span for court trials gives sufficient time to make alterations in the witness.
