1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Transparency and accountability have become common parlance within the Nigerian political economy. These twin concepts are expected behavior pattern by people serving in public and private organizations. This is irrespective or their ranks and files. But in the Nigeria public sector, transparency and accountability has unfortunately eluded the Nigerian leadership in the socio-economic and political system, creating room for corruption to become part of Nigerian governance.
Corruption has been the scourge in the developmental process in Nigeria compared to other nations that are developing. The transparency international has said in 2002 that Nigeria was the second most corrupt country in the world. The get rich quick syndrome has led to the installation of corruption as the norms and values of public practices without any rethink of the resultant effect on the nation. It has reduced to a considerable rate the efficiency and speed of development which revolves around honesty probity and accountability. The upsurge of corrupt practices in the nation's public service has helped relegate accountability, and transparency to its infinitesimal.
Corrupt practices in high places is not a new phenomenon in the history of Nigeria as a country and has been on the increase since independence. During the second republic of the civilian government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, may top officers were found guilty of various dimension of corruption, ranging from embezzlement and misappropriation of public fund without caring for any form of accountability consequently, other rank and file of staff senior and junior had to follow suit in the corruption jamboree. The perverseness of these phenomenon has affects Nigeria in the international community, even more worrisome as its becoming insidious.
When democracy returned to Africa most populous country in 1999, the obasanjo's administration though had good-will for the country but after three years the country still fare badly even if there exist some few sack and arrest of top officials. That is unfortunately not addressing the situation, hence the need of these study. This work aims at examining the incidence of corruption in the fourth republic and how it has helped in stagnating and making the public service ineffective. It will also examine the activities of the anti-corruption commission that was set up to fight corruption in the country and to know how sincere they were.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The upsurge of corruption has posed a serious threat on the political and socio-economic system; no doubt it has succeeded in impinging the growth and development of these nations. It has underlined and intercepted worthy attempts and efforts from all quarter ensuring that transparency and accountability reigns in public sector.
With so many years of petrol-dollars experience in Nigeria, the insidious effect of corruption has led to the absence of infrastructure in critical area, road are death traps, hospitals are dysfunctional, education has collapsed with over twenty million unemployed.
As soon as Obasanjo' entered into office he inaugurated different agencies to fight corruption and some of these were, independent corrupt practices commission Acts(ICPC) and the economic and financial crimes commission Act, these agencies are to push corruption to its minimal. This agency has recorded some successful attempts, but it became obvious that these facts were meant to deceive the public in believing that it was a genuine effect. It was also charge for prosecuting lower level officials; counterparts such as governors who are immune against prosecution have their case treated with levity.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
In this study, the specific objectives are:
- To know why corruption in pervasive and becoming a way of life in the contemporary Nigerian public sector
- To determine if accountability exists in the Nigerian public service.
- To ascertain the reason why all the various effort and attempts by successive government to curb corruption in public service has proved abortive. And also to proffer the way forward to instill disciplines, accountability, in the Nigeria public service.
1.4 Research Questions
- why are corrupt practices prevalent in the Nigerian public Service?
- What has happened to accountability in the Nigeria public service?
- CWhat are the effort of the Obasanjo's administration towards eradicating corrupt practices in the public service?
It is believer that the above research question will help give a concrete insight to the deplorable political condition in the socio-economic and political realities of the Nigerian state.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The important of this study cannot be over emphasized especially at this time Nigeria is desperately searching for ways for improving the lot of her teeming population. President Obasanjo's during a presidential media chat in August 2002 was asked to marshal the significance of anti-corruption and he quickly replies that the mere mention of the tragedy of corruption in our country is enough to concertize our people to have a rethink on their bad ways of life which have adverse effect on the progress of the entire nations.
President Olusegun Obasanjo taking the oath of office painted vivid picture of the ugly state that the nation was. Also expatiating that placing the military in government has been a disaster. And promised to fight corruption head-on.
This research being a systematic academic discourse on the question of transparency, accountability and corruption in public service, would certainly go beyond the more mentioning of this fact and get into proper evaluation of methods of fighting against corruption in public places and foster transparency and accountability.
The consequence of corruption include over expenditure on development progammes, inefficient execution of project that are very poor quality, and these project deteriorate quickly needing high maintenance and repair cost. It has also brought about the installation of project that is not of any importance to the citizens.
Lack of transparency results after in a perversion of economic choice with all its concomitant cost and loss to society. There is over all loss of growth and development, with decreasing quality of life, widespread poverty and misery for majority. Countries with the reputation of corruption do not often attract foreign investment because of the high unofficially rents that are often demanded in such countries and the very high cost of doing business. It has been noticed that citizens have began devising extra leg and informal ways to survive.
This work ensure to be a vital document in the hands of opinion leaders, the people and government of the country so that they will have a more critical look at the problems affecting the country and also proffer solution that are long lasting. This research will prove beneficial to both citizens of Nigeria, teachers, leaders, by assisting in setting most priority straight and also showing discipline in any course of action.
Besides, the research will prove useful to those in public service by at least awakening then to take much into consideration and also making sure that they instill transparency and accountability in the public service. It will also help to know the effect of corruption and its damage to the Nigeria society.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This paper concerns itself with the study of corruption and accountability in public service in the fourth republic that ranges from 1999-2006 (the Obasanjo administration).
1.7 Limitation of the Study
In any research work, there are bound to be problem just like it is in other field of academic pursuit especially in the present Nigeria society. Such problems limit the level of accuracy and reliability that the researcher can achieve in conducting his research work, the weaknesses or imperfection occasioned by limited time and resources are the actual limitations as the unavailability and access to current textbooks which will be helpful for effective execution of this project were not easily accessed.
1.8 Definition of the Study
Parlance: It has to do with the style of speech used by people in a particular context or profession.
Elude:
To escape from something
Scourge:
something that is perceived as or moving
Impinging:
something that has affected or interfere and calling some from of restriction.
Petro Dollar:
Any of the dollars that is paid to global oil producers.
Infinitesimal:
Reduced to be very small in degree
Levity:
Remarks or behaviours intended those amusing, especially when they are out of keeping with a serious extremely large amount of people in a place.
Marshall:
To arrange things in an appropriate order so that they else.
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