ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES AS AN ANTIDOTE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY IN NIGERIA PUBLIC SERVICE

ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES AS AN ANTIDOTE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY IN NIGERIA PUBLIC SERVICE

(A CASE STUDY OF THE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICES (FIRS), LOKOJA KOGI STATE

ABSTRACT

This research work is centred on ‘’Anti-corruption Measures as an Antidote for Accountability in Nigeria Public’’ with a case study of Federal Inland Revenue Service Lokoja, Kogi State. Prior to the role of anti-corruption measures towards accountability. The research work involved some key objectives like to determine the effect of corruption on Nigeria economy and to recommend solution on how corruption can be combated in Nigeria. Primary and secondary methods were used in collecting data while simple percentage methods were used in analyzing the data. The research work has its major findings in the table 4.2.5 that the policies established before the present administration has not yielded positive impact because policy makers are still the ones that implement it. The researcher recommend that government should improve her rate of supervision in implementing policies and programmes.

CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The word corruption means the destruction, running or spoiling of a society or a nation. A corrupt society stops valuing integrity and moral principles. It changes for the worse.

Corruption hinders economic growth and deters investment. The impact of development assistance is reduced and natural resources are over-exploited, causing further harm to a country’s environmental assets. Resources are diverted from sectors such as education and health to less important sector or personal enrichment. The rule of law is eroded and the people no longer respect or trust the state.

A few people manage to get rich at the expense of society as a whole, while the poor suffer terrible rejection. In the long run, unchecked corruption pushes more and more people into poverty which often destabilize a society.

The consequences of corruption for social and economic development are bad. People who are getting a very low wages and salaries feels they have to demand bribes in order to live decent lives. But they do not realize that corruption causes sufficiency to other. No society can endure anything neat if they allow corruption to become the full blown concern as it has become in Nigeria.

One of the greatest tragedies of military rule in recent time is that corruption was allowed to grow unchallenged and unchecked even when it was glaring for every body to see. It is also pervasive that both the public and private sector are affected, corruption now permeate every aspect of Nigeria life especially in the transaction of government at various level. It is a constant topic of conversation among all, of course, every body complains about it yet, every one appears to be involved.

Corruption manifests greatly in few people who pays and collect bribes to gain unfair advantage and of those who abuse a position not trust by taking bribes. Many people usually play bribes to gain one advantage or the other and the action is ironically considered socially acceptable in almost every facet of the society.

It is important for the researcher to trace the origin of anti-corruption measures in Nigeria. On his assumption of office on 29^th May, 1999, president Olusegun Obasanjo made people to understand that his administration going to wage war against pervasive corruption in the society. He proceeded that during his campaign, he promise total war against corruption.

Corruption was identified as the number one enemy of development and progress. Combating corruption was the number one priority action of our administration, corruption is also known as a cankerworm that has eaten into the fabric of our society in every level. Corruption has been responsible for the instability of successive government since the first republic.

Looking at the failure in the application at the past, measure and policies for checking corruption by successive administration in Nigeria, President Obasanjo went ahead to send a bill to the National Assembly as it become one piece of legislation to prohibit and punish bribery and corrupt public officers and other persons in Nigeria. It was the first executive bill sent by the former administration of Olusegun Obasanjo two months after he assumed office in July, 1999, the bill was sent to the National Assembly and it generate a lot of controversies before it subsequent passage by the legislature a year after.

The anti-corruption bill was formally signed into law by the president Obasanjo in Abuja on Tuesday 13^th June, 2000. The commission was inaugurated by the president on 29^th September, 2008.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

What actually motivated the researcher into this very topic of study is the seeming complexity embedded in the concept of corruption.

Corruption has become a common usage of body in our society. The issue is so high that it seems there is virtually no decrease in the incidence of corruption, every body has therefore resigned to the fact that there is no solution to the problem. It has caused decay and dereliction within the infrastructure of government and the society in physical, social and human terms which have frustrated the great hope of our development.

Nigeria had hoped to attain or achieve a sustainable development since the attainment of independent to build a strong self reliant and initial nation with a just and egalitarian society that would be free from corruption and democratic in nature.

It is a pity that the inability to achieve this hope since the past (53) fifty three years of independence is due to the problems of indiscipline and corruption which have eaten deep into the social fabric of our society.

It is in the light of the above that the researcher wishes to appraise the anti-corruption as a remedy against the long time manifestation of corruption in the Nigeria public service.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The researcher is pursuing the following set of objectives in the course of study:

1. To determine the effect of corruption on Nigerian economy
2. To determine the dimension of corruption in Nigeria
3. To investigate strategy for elimination of corruption from the society.
4. To recommend solutions on how corruption can be combated absolutely in Nigeria.

1.4     SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study is limited to anti-corruption measures in Nigeria as antidote for accountability in Nigeria Public Sector, A Case study of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Lokoja.

However, the scope of the study cover the meaning and nature of corruption. It manifestation, it implication and characteristics and likely solution that could be proffered to this epidemic in the society. The study period covers ten (10) years between 1999-2010.

This research work, despite the scope of the study, has some inherent limitations faced by the researcher in the course of the field work. The researcher faced the problem of some un-co-operated respondents who were not willing to give accurate answer to the questions submitted, as some files are tagged ‘’confidential’’ particularly in the organization.

Financial constraint was another challenges faced by the researcher. This is because the time allotted to the researcher is very limited due to other activities coupled together with financial constraints was not left out because nothing can be done in the absence of finance.

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The completion of this study will be of immense importance to the students, scholars, public sector, private sector, professionals, technocrats, politicians, resource persons and administrators in the following ways:

This project is also part of the requirements for the award of Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate by the Kogi State Polytechnic.

At the end, some recommendations will be made to the government on the possible way of fighting corruption in the public service and the society at large.

1.6     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The researcher will try to provide answers to the following questions which will also guide the direction of the study. The questions include the following:

1. Does Federal Inland Revenue Service play a positive role in combating corruption in Nigeria?
2. In what ways does Federal Inland Revenue Service play these roles?
3. How effective is Federal Inland Revenue Service in fighting corruption compared to other public sectors.
4. Does corruption retard the Federal Inland Revenue Service to meet their revenue targets?
5. Is there any accountability transparency in the service rendered by the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS)
6. How does the effectiveness of the Federal Inland Revenue Service contribute to the fight against corruption in the public service?

1.7     DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPTS

The definition of some relevant concepts will be analyzed for clarity purpose these include:

FRAUD: As a method of illegal getting of money from someone, often by using clever and complicated method.

The researcher hereby defined fraud as corrupt ways of taking possession of money or many other valuable items, or goods maliciously.

BRIBERY: Any act of dishonesty, giving something in order to persuade him to do something that will help the giver.

GOVERNMENT: Means a body of persons and institutions or agencies that make or enforce law in a given state.

NATION: Nwachukwu (1992), defined a nation as a group of people with common history, language, culture, customs, tradition and descendant.

POLICY: According to Fredrick (1975), it is defined as a proposed course of action of a person, group or government within a given environment providing obstacle and opportunities which the policy was proposed to utilize in an effort to reach or attain a goal.

DEMOCRACY: A government controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country.

MANAGEMENT: Ajakaiye (2001) defines management as an organized body of knowledge which deals with the science of getting things done in the most efficient and effective way.

1.8     ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This project work comprises five chapters. The first is the study foundation for the topic. It consists of introduction of the study, statement of problem, objectives of the study, scope and limitations, significance of the study research questions and definition of key terms.

The second chapter deals with literature review of the topic as well as defining some concepts and overview of some learned scholars anti-corruption measures. The third chapter is research methodology which reveals how data is being collected and analyzed.

Chapter four examines data presentation and analysis of data which are presented in a tabular form.

Finally, the fifth chapter seeks to summarize the findings of the research work in a conclusive way and then make objective recommendations with respect to the concluding evidence.