The level of insecurity in Nigeria and the rate at which it's spreading across the land is definitely unconnected with the high rate of poverty which the privileged few have continuously subjected the masses to over time. And according to latest findings on Nigeria's resources and finances, the engine room of this monster called corruption is made up of...
Nigeria's federal, states and local government Civil Servants. Before this time, it has been alleged by those who should know that a Local Council Chairman, Commissioner, Governor, Minister or even those in the Presidency can not successfully perpetrate any act of corruption without the "approval" of civil servants. Now the issues are becoming clearer.
No wonder many Accountants and Auditors in government MDAs often live above their legitimate income, especially in Abuja. Going by the latest figures released by Transparency International, Nigeria’s corruption rating has taken a leap for the worse with the civil servants alone responsible for over N450 billion ($3.2b) bribes in the last one year.
According to the studies of corrupt behaviours in various public and private sectors of the economy done by TI, it was confirmed that "bribery is particularly widespread in the construction, energy and extractive industries," a condition that made it possible for “corrupt civil servants in oil-rich Nigeria pocketed some $3.2 billion (2.3b euros) in bribes in the 2010/11 financial year alone.”
According to the publication, in Nigeria, one of the 28 countries with dominant extractive industries: “Inter-company corruption is as popular as the practice of offering bribes to civil servants,” adding that this year’s “findings indicate that corruption is not only a problem of the public sector but also of private companies because it exposes them to financial and reputational risks.”
Some words of advise: in its concluding observations, Transparency International 'urges government agencies and private companies in Nigeria to take steps to ensure effective implementation of anti-bribery policies and procedures'.
I think it's very unlikely they'll listen to such advise, because corruption is the only language these people understand. Put effective measures in place to eradicate corruption in the civil service, and see what would happen. Most of these guys will trow in the towel within few months. My country Nigeria, I weep for you! ...;)
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