Public Sector and Corruption in Nigeria: An Ethical and Institutional Framework of Analysis (original) (raw)
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Corruption in the Nigerian Public Sector
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2022
The ills of corruption in governance and public management creates an oddity of interests between leaderships and citizens. The myriads of challenges confronting many developing economies in the world today stems from corruption and the lack of transparency in governance. The elegance ascribed to political and economic corruptions in most African states stems not only from the depraved self-seeking nature of the individuals, but also from a societal expectation of grandeur and affluence after a successful political or bureaucratic career. The Nigerian state is evidently ethno-centric and blessed with abundant natural mineral resources. However, there are several factors fostering corruption in Nigeria, and this includes the rampant lack of accountability in governance, poor political leadership, and an ill-informed system of governance. For the Nigerian state to be free from corruption therefore, a lot needs to be done towards encouraging transparency in governance, responsible and an accountable political leadership, citizen participation in governance and an established system of informed policy formulation, exemplary leadership hinged on the tenets of morality, and the re-engineering of the social construct towards the rebuilding of trust between leaderships and the citizens. This review takes a critical look at corruption in the Nigerian public sector, and also offers some vital suggestions on how to overcome this protracted challenge.
FIGHTING THE SCOURGE OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR
2018
ABSTRACT The scourge of corruption in Nigerian public sector is alarming. The fight against corruption by successive governments using the instrumentality of anti-corruption agencies over time has suffered defective legal frame work and lack of political will. Scholarship on the war against corruption has not helped the matter either. Having set out to theorize, the study relied on secondary sources and used the qualitative research method to identify corruption typologies in Nigerian public sector as moral, social, political, economic and administrative corruption. The study identified causes and enablers of corruption primarily as colonialism and political instability and secondary causes as poor working conditions, extended family system, misuse of discretion, misinterpretation of public policies, poor leadership recruitment processes, corrosive poverty, maladministration, fear of poverty, moral decadence etc. the study showcased ecology of corruption as the acceptability of corruption by the society the impact of which has strangulated the economic and socio-political development of the Country. In modeling institution building as a panacea for fighting corruption, the study recommended enthronement of good governance, value reorientation due process, cultural and attitudinal change, active citizenry, checks and balances, continuous public sector reforms, enhancement of internal control systems, proper leadership recruitment processes, payment of living wages and better conditions of service in the public sector in Nigeria.
Ethical challenges and institutional corruption in Nigeria's civil service
journal article, 2021
This paper discusses ethical challenges and institutional corruption in Nigeria civil service and relied on the premise of the classical bureaucratic theory as a theoretical direction. The theory upholds that bureaucratic organizations must have certain characteristics which inform its relationship within the organization/bureaucracy for results to be achieved. The paper argues that institutional corruption arises mainly as a result of ethical violation in the civil service. In Nigeria Civil Service today factors such as ethical, political learning, primordial interest and private considerations more often than not take precedence over competence and merit in employment process and promotions. These challenges leave the institution unsound, tainted and as such corrupt and little strength to produce result. The paper recommends the adoption of the French method of recruitment into the civil service as well as committed exercise in external ethical auditing in the Nigeria civil service.
Corruption and the Challenges of Good Governance in the Nigerian Public Sector
Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review, 2012
The role of the public service in achieving good governance cannot be underestimated. This can be gleaned from the central role it plays in the formulation and implementation of policies designed for the development of the society. In Nigeria, the role of public service has come under severe criticisms within the context of the gap that exists between its anticipated role and its actual output in guiding the society along the course leading to the desired goal as a result of corruption. This article observes that the fact that Nigeria is still grappling with the problems of bad governance goes to show the level of non-accountability and ever present manifestation of crude corruption that is open, naked, undisguised and yet legally untameable because of the system. The article also reveals that many of the anti-corruption efforts are part of the liberal reforms that are based on the assumption that corruption is an individual act or personal misuse of public office for private gain. ...
Ethics, Values and Accountability in the Nigerian Public Administration
International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research
This study looks at the issues of unethical values and poor accountability in the contemporary Nigerian public service, as these remains the major challenges confronting the system. The problems recognized and perceived in the Nigerian public service, due to lack of accountability involves direct embezzlement, receipt of huge kick bags, contracts scams and inflation, large-scale salary scams, misappropriation of funds etc, Successive scholars have noted that the public service in Nigeria have failed to measure-up with their counterparts across the world, because it lacks in transparency, accountability, rules and regulations; these may be as a result of the kind of people recruit into the civil service or may be lack of proper supervision. The study explores the problem of corruption and accountability in Nigerian public service and proffers some reform measures. We used the social, public/common goods, good governance theoretical postulation to explain our work. We conclude that for development to sustain in our economy, accountability of public officials is inevitable and asserts that the success and failure of any country are largely dependent on its public service at any period of time. And observed that to ensure sanity, progress and development in the public service, code of ethics, values and accountability must be strictly adhered to and enforce by the state.
African Journal of Philosophy and Studies, 2018
Proper ethics is vital for the economic, political, social, legal, religious and civil development and growth of a country like Nigeria. This paper examines ethics as a concept that entered the national discourse in Nigeria from the 1980s during the era of the Second Republic. In its introduction, the paper provides basic information about Nigeria, followed by clarification of terms andconcepts used in the paper with special reference to ethics and its typology. Furthermore, the paper examines the centrality of ethics to leadership, the principles of good governance and the problematic of corruption in Nigeria. In a bit to analyse the empirical application of ethics to governance, the paper discusses the notion of African ethics as character, vis-à-vis the indigenous and currentperception of the 'big man' in Nigerian society and its implications for leadership.The paper comparatively critically examined the backdrop against which oaths of office and secrecy are taken with ascent to political and public offices in Nigeria in conjunction with indigenous oath-taking rites and with the corrupt empirical conduct of someof such officers in public office. The paper then gave some modest recommendations towards curbing corruption in Nigeria.
Corruption in the Nigerian Public Service and Its Implications for National Development
The aim of this paper was to investigate corruption in the Nigerian public service and its implications on national development. The paper reviews the concept of corruption,, public service and development. This discourse examined the forms and causes of corruption in Nigerian Public Service, as well as corruption in public service from Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa’s era to present administration. It also, examined the implications of corruption in the public service on national development in Nigeria. The paper revealed that corruption which ever dimension has tremendous negative implications for the development and growth of any society. The paper further revealed that corruption in the public sector involves the looting and embezzlement of public funds for personal use. The quest for self-preservation has superseded national interest and the absence of national interest manifest in lack of national development in Nigeria. Findings revealed that corruption in the Nigerian public service is albatross to national development in Nigeria. As a remedial measure, the paper recommended among others that stiffer punishments like long jail terms should be applied so as to serve as deterrence to individuals who have the intention to embezzle funds of government.
Ethical Degeneration in the Nigerian Public Service and the Quest for Honesty and Integrity
Bangladesh Journal of Public Administration
The State of morals among accounting practitioners and professional public servants in general has indeed been appalling. Apparently, one witnesses ethical disintegration in virtually all the hitherto sacrosanct spheres of public and corporate life. This study is a novel endeavour to unravel the overt and covert causes of ethical degeneration among accounting practitioners and public servants in the Nigerian public service; and to systematically examine the various interventions by successive regimes to bring about moral sanity and decorum in the ethical disposition of Nigerian public servants. The study approached this issue by doing a general review of literature on corruption, ethics and accountability in the Nigerian public service. The primary data, which reinforce this study, are derived from questionnaire analysis and personal interview.
Public Sector Corruption In Nigeria
IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2016
Corruption is a monster that has held Nigeria hostage for a long time. Public institutions created to effect public good or collective welfare have been turned into personal fiefdoms by the privileged few. Indeed, according to saharareporters.com (Olorunfemi,2016) there is currently an attempt by the senate to decriminalize corruption by seeking to amend the CCT Act "while the senate president is standing trial for a breach of the (same)law". As at now the bill has passed its second reading and only awaits a third at the national assembly to become law. This paper therefore is an attempt to highlight the causes, patterns and consequences of corruption in Nigeria.
WINNING THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF OUR ETHICAL VALUES
Corruption has been a perennial clog in the wheel of development and growth in Nigeria. Corruption has in no small way contributed to increasing levels of poverty and socio-economic stagnation in Nigeria. Acute unemployment, lack of social amenities and the downward spiral of the economy amongst others can be linked to the menace of corruption. Ethics are considered very important in societies because of their ability to bring about development and its resultant upshots. It is no wonder that the constitution states the ethics to be imbibed by the society. This paper seeks to discuss the efficiency of combating corruption in Nigeria by utilising the ethical values of the society such as; integrity, justice, fairness and patriotism amongst others towards this end. Here, the efforts of past governments to curb corruption through the promotion of ethical standards and its effect in the war against corruption will be examined. This paper will conclude by establishing that ethics is invaluable in the war against corruption and new strategies that will incorporate ethics in order to triumph against corruption will be identified.