What causes corruption in Nigeria
Causes of corruption in Nigeria
1. Weak Government institutions
2. Poor pay incentives
3. Lack of openness and Transparency in public service
4. Absence of key anti corruption tools
5. Ineffective political processes
6. Culture and acceptance of corruption by the populace
7. Absence of effective political financing Poverty
8. Ethnic and religious difference Resource scramble
The fight against corruption in Nigeria is not working because of the following factors:
1. Insincerity of Government
2. Pre bargaining and Negotiation, highly placed officials caught of corrupt practices are made to part with some of their looted funds and are thereafter set free.
3. Low deterrent- the punitive measures for corrupt practices need to be strengthened
4. Lack of virile political and social movements to tackle corruption. The mass of the people are yet to be mobilises in the fight against corruption
5. Lack of access to public information. A lot of secrecy still pervades Government documents, and this underlies the need for the passage of the freedom of Information Bill presently before Nigeria’s National Assembly.
6. Insecurity of Informants. There is a need to enact laws to protect informants as well as reward them
7. Low public participation in Governance
8. Corrupt Electoral system
9. Nepotism
10. Systemic disorder
11. Weak Government Institutions
INTRODUCTION
The upsurge of corruption in Nigeria in recent times is disturbing. It seems the menace has defied all treatment and the damages it has done to the national life cannot be quantified. Corruption is a global phenomenon, it is practiced everywhere, the Christians and all religious adherences are not left behind in it.Osoba (1996) Dike has observed that,
The menace of corruption leads to slow movement of files in offices, police extortion at tollgates and slow traffics on the highways, port congestion, queues at passport offices and gas stations, ghost workers syndrome, election irregularities, among others. Even the mad people on the street recognize the havoc caused by corruption - the funds allocated for their welfare disappear into the thin air (Dike, 2011).
This observation by Dike portrays the true picture of what is happening in every establishment in Nigeria be it private or public. The situation becomes worse with the politicians who because of the quest for power manipulated votes and rigged elections. The judges are not left out. As a result of corruption, justice is perverted and judgment is delivered in favor of the election riggers who are able to pay their way through. Recently, some Judges of the appeal court were sanctioned by the National Judicial Commission for corrupt practices (See the Punch of 8th February, 2011). It is a common belief that corruption is endemic in all facets of Nigerian economy. It affects both the government and non-government organizations and it seems nothing can be done about it. Aluko (2002) rightly observed that,
Corruption is a social malaise that has holistically permeates all the nerves of any polity. It is contagious and malignant to the physiology of any political system. Once it sets into any part; it automatically contaminates all the strata of the systems socio-political structures in ways symmetrical to the spread of a bush fire. (Aluko 2002: 393-402)
Corruption indeed is the bane of any nation. Its malady cut across every religious denomination and political system and it affects both young and old, man and woman alike. It is like cancer that contaminates all strata of the socio-political and economic structure of any society and its malignant nature is difficult to treat.
Advances in Arts, Social Sciences and Education Research: Volume 2 (1) Jan: 76 - 84, 2012
Corruption is not a contemporary affair it has been on for so long in Africa. Akindele (1996) notes that no regime in Africa can be exonerated from corruption. The menace has reached an unprecedented level most especially during Babangida and Abacha regimes which saw the institutionalization of the statement syndrome. The era of Obasanjo witnessed a crusade against corrupt politicians and government official. During his eight year reign the country witnessed the establishment of EFCC and ICPC two bodies that was saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting corrupt officials, in their effort to sanitize the polity. The then Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun and some bank officials were prosecuted but the efforts of these two bodies was short lived when the regime of Obasanjo ended in 2007.
This paper, therefore attempts holistic measures for controlling the menace of corruption in Nigeria. In the discussion, I will define corruption, examine its nature, cause and effect, and conclude by suggesting holistic approaches for controlling the menace of corruption in Nigeria.
WHAT IS CORRUPTION
Different scholars from social sciences, psychology, political sciences and religious studies have attempted a working definition for corruption from their various disciplines. However, all of the working definitions are interwoven. The most relevant definition to this paper is the one given by World Bank, Akindele (1995) and Osoba (1998). The World Bank defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain.
Akindele (1995) defines it as any form of reciprocal behavior or transaction where both the power/office holder can respectively initiate the inducement of each other by some rewards to grant (illegal) preferential treatment or favour against the principles and interest of specific organization (or public) within the society. Overall, corruption covers such acts as: - use of ones office for pecuniary advantage, - gratification, - influence peddling, insincerity in advice with the aim of gaining advantage, - less than a full days work for a full days pay, - tardiness and slovenliness. (Osoba 1998:378) defines corruption as an "anti-social behaviour conferring improper benefits contrary to legal and moral norms, and which undermine the authorities" to improve the living
