THE IMPACT OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA 1999-2013
ABSTRACT
This study is an attempt to examine
the extent corruption has retarded good governance and development in
Nigeria from 1999 to 2011. If focuses on the determination of the
cause(s) of corruption in Nigeria; the implications and recommendations
of appropriate solutions to curb the menace. Discoveries were made such ;
corruption as the cause of bad governance in Nigeria; breeds bad
leadership; creates room for looting of public treasury by public office
holders and enhances waste of government funds as a result of ghost
workers. The key recommendations were also given such as; every public
office holder should be made declare his or her assets before
commencement of duties and prior to their leaving of offices and have to
be verified to ascertain the truth of such claims, to remove immunity
clauses that protect some leaders from prosecution and arrest while in
office; monetary inducement during elections to solicit for unmerited
votes should be treated as criminal offences and punishment should be
given to people found guilty accordingly to serve as deterrent to
others. The study also recommended that corruption can be minimized in
Nigeria, with good governance and development ensured, if we can
collectively imbibe and promote moral values, transparency;
accountability and the rule of law.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Majority of Nigerian believe that the
seed of corruption which is now at its peak at all levels in the
country, was effectively sown and nurtured to maturity during military
ruler. This assertion is buttressed by the fact that many of the
principal political figures in governance at the federal, state and even
local levels are the same set of people who had held public offices
during the different military eras and had amassed wealth illegally in
the process, becoming very powerful (Aluko, 2006:8).
At present, our reputation for
corruption and fraudulent practices has reached the Zenith, such that
foreigners regard Nigerian, especially those wishing to do business with
them as unfaithful and dishonest people. We have created such a bad
image for ourselves, among ourselves and with potential foreign business
partners, that genuine and honest people suffer (Aluko, 2006:9).
A prominent Nigerian, Adegbite (1991),
once stated that the meaning of corruption varies, and depends on the
context in which it is used. It could denote moral depravity and
perversion of integrity through bribery or favour, or a conscious and
well planned act by a person or group of persons to appropriate by
unlawful means the wealth of another person or group of persons (Aluka
2006:1) to others, it is the act of turning power and authority, into
ready cash. Another authority defines it as the diversion of resources
from the betterment of the community to the gain of individuals at the
expense of the community (Aluko, 2006:1).
Corruption is the act of illegally
diverting resources (particularly financial resources) meant for the
good of the citizenry in a defined geographical area by a privileged
individual or a group for personal use presumably for self
aggrandizement. In this sense, corruption means the use of public
resources for the achievement of personal of personal ends. (Aluko,
2006:3). The mentality which this political class brought to governance
represents the highest form of corruption and the enslavement of the
popular masses of this country (Duke, 2003:24). More so, corruption has
endemic, dangerous and hazardous implications. It is endemic because it
spreads from one person to the other until it engulfs the whole society.
James and Sam (2006:91) vehemently
opined that corruption constitutes the greatest waste of human and
material resources in any society. They explained further that a good
example is the distressed banks where so many Nigerians lost their money
and wealth, due to diversion of public money to private hands. The
other inflated contract bills and other forms of corruption have robbed
the people of the basic amenities like water, electricity, good
hospital, schools and roads. Such basic amenities are supposed to be in
place so as to ensure a country development and good governance.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Generally, corruption has caused
incalculable damage to social and political development of Nigeria.
Corruption has a long pedigree and problem, it has definitely threatened
the existence of any government. As a phenomenon that runs deep with
all previous governments, and is even prominent in the present
administration which functionaries pay on key role in the dark of the
present administration (Onoja:2003). This has been among other things
degenerated at theoretical, intellectual and practical levels. As a
result of this, and continuous elusiveness of a universal criterion for
its conceptualization, and for dealing with its perpetrators, it has
become the feature of many politics in the world and particularly in
Nigeria, as it continuously manifest itself and had been
institutionalized by its protagonist to the department of micro and
macro components of most societies. This vividly explains the problem of
developing nations particularly that of Nigeria.
The problem includes inter-alia corrupt,
ascendancy to political leadership through election rigging, giving and
receiving of kick-back for government contracts (done or undone), son
of the soil philosophy, robbery and looting of public treasury and the
issue of ghost workers.
Succinctly, with the above problem
mentioned, in Nigeria this will change government as an instrument of
the ‘’state’’ to and instrument of corruption and personal leadership.
As a result of this, there is high level of disenchantment on the part
of the people in governmental affairs, turning the citizens into
hardened cynics with no concern for problem good, no faith in morality.
In addition, to the above, poverty seems to be a major factor that has
continued to promote corruption and other unethical behaviour in
Nigeria.
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aims of the study is to examine the corruption and the crisis of governance and development in Nigeria between 1999-2013.
The specific objectives of this study are as follows:
To see whether poverty is the root of corruption in Nigeria;
- To determine the causes of corruption in Nigeria
- To examine the implications of corruption in Nigeria
- To recommend an appropriate solution to corruption in Nigeria.
1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study is centred on corruption and
impact of governance and development of Nigeria, from 1999-2013. The
study is restricted to this period because of the broad nature of the
topic. This period marked the unrepresented stage in the manifestation
of corruption in Nigeria which requires urgent response to curb this
trend of corruption and its practices among public officials.
On the other hand, this study has also
been narrowed to the above period due to inadequate finance, time
factor, transport and other logistical constraints.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study on corruption and the impact
of governance and development will be of great benefit to
policy/decision makers, politicians and the non governmental
organizations (NGO’s) etc on how best to curb this unethical behaviour
and phenomenon of corruption from Nigerian state.
This study on corruption and its impact
on governance and development will also serves as a yardstick to
researchers in the course of their findings.
It also broadens the knowledge of renders on the administrative governance in the country;
It also serves as contribution to
already existing literatures on the impact of corruption on governance
and development in Nigeria.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The major research questions employed in this study on corruption are as follows:
- What are the indicators of corruption and corrupt practice in Nigeria?
- What are the causes of corruption in Nigeria?
- And what are the implications of corruption in the governance and development of Nigeria government since 1999-2013.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
The basic concept used in the research work are; corruption, governance and development in Nigeria.
Corruption: According
to Dike (2001:147) corruption is a perversion or change from good to
bad, which involves the violation of established rules for personal gain
and profit, which also include securing wealth or power through illegal
means. According to Hormby (1995) corruption is a dishonest or wicked
behaviour in high place or position by leaders for their private
advantage.
Governance: Governance
can be defined as the activities of governing a country or controlling a
company or an organization, the way in which a country is governed or a
company or institution is controlled.
Development: The
concept of development is multi-dimensional in nature which has led to
the emergence of different definition put forward by scholars.
According to Rodney (1972:1)
‘’development in human society is a many-sided process. At the level of
the individual it implies increased skill and capacity, greater freedom,
creativity, self discipline, responsibility and material well being’’.
According to Seers (1961), ‘’development involves in the fulfilment of
the necessary condition for the achievement or realization of
universally acceptable aims and potentials of human personality’’. He
accepts the economic view points of development to the extent that it is
man centered or it is instrumental to addressing basic problem of
unemployment, poverty and inequality in development as put by Seers,
(1969) three important questions need to be asked about a country’s
development. Thus;
- What has been happening to unemployment?
- What has been happening to poverty?
- What has been happening to in-equality?
If all these have declined from high to
low levels, then beyond doubt there have been developments for that
period they decline from high to low. But if these problems have been
growing from bad to worst than there is no development. Even if there is
an increase in GNP and GDP, increase per capital in come without
necessary having a positive impact on poverty unemployment and social
justice, then there is no development, because development should be
human centred, (Kamal, 2005:107).
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This study contains five chapters.
Chapter one contain background to the study, statement of the problem,
aim and objective of the study, significance of the study, research
question, research hypothesis, scope and limitations of the study,
definition of terms and organization of the study.
Chapter two examines the literature
review, the concept and form of corruption, causes of corruption, effect
of corruption, the concept of good governance, the development, and the
nexus between corruption, governance and development.
Chapter three research methodology: the
research design, sampling techniques, population of the study, sample
size and data analysis method of data collection.
Chapter four focuses on data presentation, discussion of result, findings of the study.
Finally, chapter five focuses on summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations and bibliography.
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