TITLE:
Public Sector and Corruption in Nigeria: An Ethical and Institutional Framework of Analysis
AUTHORS:
K. C. Ani Casimir, E. M. Izueke, I. F. Nzekwe
KEYWORDS:
Public Sector, Ethics, Values, Corruption, Institutional Reforms, Institutions Fighting Corruption in Nigeria-ICPC, EFCC, Code of Conduct Bureau & NAFDAC
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Philosophy,
Vol.4 No.3,
August
6,
2014
ABSTRACT: The paper examines the imperatives of good
ethical conduct in the conduct of government business in Nigeria. As government
business grows in complexity with the adoption of technological innovations in
government, governance in Nigeria’s public sector becomes more problematic and
ethically tasking as a result of endemic corruption. An evaluation of the
collapse of institutional measures and codes of conduct puts in place to ensure
high standard of behavior, using institutional theory suggests that moral
contradictions in institutional behavior expectation from the public deepen
daily. The perceived lack of an effective ethical organizational framework to
coordinate the activities of various institutions has astronomically worsened
unethical practices such as corruption in the Nigerian public service. The
paper recommends a more realistic African traditional approach to ethical
restraint of public servants from indulging in corrupt behavior by subjecting
them to customary oath taking based upon the theistic values of fear of sin
against mother earth (Ani Casimir, 2009), (a departure from
the western style, which sees public service as no man’s business: Ekene, 2012).
These core African values that emanate from theistic humanism should also
permeate the various anti-corruption organizational frameworks in Nigeria to
coordinate the national fight against corruption in the public sector. The
behavioral and errant departure of civil servants and Nigeria’s public service
from the core human values that ensure transparent private and public conduct of
individuals have resulted in underperformance and underdevelopment. It is
perceived furthermore that this lack of public service commitment to human
values which would have enabled them to consider others above selfish
interests, fear divine retribution, dishonor of a good family name, distaste
for greed and stealing of public good has weakened the fight against corruption
and turned it into a pedantic and cosmetic exercise without results. Therefore,
unethical practices and the systemic abandonment of core African human values
by the Nigerian public servants oil the wheel of public sector corruption in
Nigeria.