GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE CHALLENGES OF CORRUPTION
As regards this
Essay competition, there is a particular body - The Muslim Congress (TMC) -
that laid a platform for people to write Essays on a particular topic and then
forward it to a given address. Without this body, this competition, of which I
am a part of, would most likely never take place at all. The organizers after
having brought about the idea of the contest, must have selected a group of
people to make up an administrative body to deliberate about the Question to be
asked, set a deadline for submission of entries and as well determine what
prizes would be given to the Winner and the Runner-Ups. All the aforementioned
procedures of setting up this tournament are as a result of nothing but
Governance!
According to
wikipedia, governance refers to “all processes of governing, whether undertaken
by a government, market or network, whether over a family, tribe, formal or
informal organization or territory and whether through laws, norms, power or
language. Governance can also be said to be the making of decisions and
exercising power over people either in towns/villages, states, countries and
institutions (both national and internal). Governance also consist the
tradition and institutions by which Authority in a country is exercised. This
include, but is not limited to, processes by which governments are selected,
monitored and replaced and also the capacity of the government to effectively
formulate and implement policies and the respect of citizens and the state for
the institutions that govern Economic and Social Interactions amongst them.
In every stage
of human life, there is always governance attached it. Talking about family
systems, each family is governed usually, by the head who is the father or perhaps
any male member of the family who happens to be the eldest and most respectable.
In Schools i.e. Universities or Secondary Schools, there is usually a Vice
Chancellor or a Principal as the Over-all head governing the affairs of the
school. Even amongst thieves, there is usually a ring leader who will give
instructions and help pass information about the next line of action or perhaps
operation. With these, it is glaring that there is virtually no organization,
body or group that can exist without governance.
This pattern of
having a leader has being in existence since a time immemorial. During the
Lifetime of the prophet (SAW), he said to his companions that: “If 3 people go
out on a Journey, then they should make one of them the leader (Abu Dwud)”. This,
of course, is an indication that there can be no organization, co-existence,
orderliness, and family relations without a governor at each level. After all,
the Universe we dwell in is governed by an Omnipotent being that directs all affairs,
rewards and punishes as required and makes decision over all things. Judging by
human nature, there are various ways/forms at which each governor governs. Just
like there are good and bad people, we have good governors and bad governors
which of course lead to good and bad governance respectively.
Talking about the topic of discuss, the definition
of good governance need to first be made clear. Good
government depends on an ability to exercise power, and to make good decisions
over time, across a spectrum of economic, social, environmental and other areas.
This is linked with the government’s capacity for knowledge, mediation,
resource allocation, implementation and maintenance of key relationships.
According to the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) in a 1997 policy document, good governance is a measure that defines the
processes and structures that guide political and socio-economic relationships
and strategic vision otherwise regarded as leadership quality by Mallam Nasir
El-Rufai. Also, as expressed through factors like reliability, predictability
and accountability good governance is
seen as a key factor in ensuring national prosperity.
Good Governance
can also be said to be the competent management of a country’s resources and
affairs in a manner that is open, transparent, accountable, equitable and
responsive to people’s needs. In multi-economic communities like Nigeria , good
governance requires that the government fosters an inclusive strategy to give
all groups a sense of belonging. Minor vulnerable groups should be granted
access to make inputs in decision making and the elaboration of the policies
affecting them. All these can only be achieved if there is transparency built
on the rule of law, free, fair and credible elections enabling public regions
changes.
There are
certain characteristics which if found in Governance, such Governance is said
to be a good one. These characteristics include: Responsiveness, Census
Oriented, Equity, Inclusiveness, Efficiency, Accountability e.t.c. Majority of
these characteristics are dependent on one another which makes them all
important in good governance. Other
characteristics of good governance include: genuine respect for people, a
commitment to providing a voice for all residents - whether they are active participants
or 'stand-by citizens', transparency and
effectiveness in decision making , encouraging people to become involved and
take on leadership roles, a commitment to a collaborative process, taking
responsibility to monitor and evaluate outcomes, an openness to learning from
poor decisions or approaches, a means of feedback for local people on decisions
that couldn't change ect al.Having enumerated the
definition of good governance, its qualities and principles, corruption and its
effect on good governance is the next on call.
Corruption
is a word humans are generally so familiar with that even a layman can give a
simple definition of it. Just like breathe, corruption has become a part of man
that hardly will one find an organization without a trait of corruption. Take
for example a nuclear family whereby the father gives certain amount of money,
which is like 35% of what he actually gives to his concubines, to his wife to
prepare a meal for the family. The wife spends barely half of the money on the
food and then the remaining half on cosmetics for herself without the husband’s
consent. And then we have the children. Kids now know their way to the pot to
tap a piece of meat or two without the knowledge of their mother. In this
situation, corruption is evident in virtually all the angles of the family
beginning from the Head – the father.
According to
Merriam Webster Dictionary, Corruption can be said to be taking something that
does not belong to you in an illegal way. Corruption also refers to the dishonest
or fraudulent conduct by people vested in Authority and it usually involves
bribery and gratification. In Nigeria ,
there is virtually no sector free from the pangs of corruption, starting from
the president, the Senator, Governors of each state, and Local Government
Chairmen down to the people. The perfume of corruption has been sprayed all
over that you can barely miss out the fragrance anywhere you go. This is indeed
evident in the definition of corruption given by the World Bank (1997) that
corruption is the abuse of power for private benefit which thrives when
economic policies are poorly designed, education levels or standards are low,
public sector management is poor and accountability of public institution is
weak. Amongst the top 177 countries affected by corruption the most are Denmark , New
Zealand , United Kingdom ,
Canada , Netherlands e.t.c.
Corruption has
lots of Effects on Good Governance that enumerating all is almost impossible.
Of some of the challenges corruption has on good governance is Political
Challenge. In the political realm, corruption undermines democracy and good
governance by flouting or even subverting formal processes. Corruption in
elections and in legislative bodies reduces accountability and distorts
representation in policy, making corruption in public administration results in
the inefficient provision of services. Corruption erodes the institutional
capacity of government, and undermines the legitimacy of government.
In the
judiciary, corruption compromises the rule of law and could endanger the
policy. For example, in election petitions, the electoral will of the people is
subverted and distorted while installed public office holders without electoral
legitimacy often govern with impunity as no contract so to say exists between
them and the people they govern thereby turning them into an army of
occupation. A corrupt judiciary is the worst affliction any society could be
cursed with.
According to
Economists, the factors behind the differing economic development in Africa and
Asia is that in the former, corruption has primarily taken the form of reneted
extraction with the resulting financial capital moved overseas rather invested
at home (hence the stereotypical but often accurate, image of African dictators
having Swiss Bank accounts).
Corruption
decreases productivity and of investments and also undermines the quality and
quantity of public services like health and education. It stifles good
governance because resources that should go towards improving public good end
up in private pockets or are unaccounted for. It is therefore important for
citizens to see corruption for what it really is. After all, once a problem is
seen as a problem it automatically becomes half solved. But sadly, citizens no
longer see the danger in corruption; they only look for the opportunity to have
their own share of the national cake.
Also, we need
to tackle corruption and fight it wherever it manifests itself as we own it to
ourselves, families, friends, businesses, professions and political convictions.
If we do not fight corruption from the roots, it’ll destroy the fundamental
nature of our society and all that we stand for.
Efforts should
be made to make bribery and corruption transactions more difficult to
consummate by i.e. eliminating cash payments by governments and contractors to
establish an audit trial for public expenditures – withdrawing all exemption of
due process accorded to national security spending.
On a final
note, following the Qur’an and Sunnah is literally the best way to combat
corruption for any society. In suratul Hud verse 85, Allah (SWT) says “Oh my
people, give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things
that are their due: commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief”. As
humans, we need to understand that there is divine governance that reigns over
all things in this world and the only way to live in order just like this
planet has been set up in order is to follow the divine rules that have been
laid down by Allah as an index in living a good Life.
REFERENCES
Commonwealth
Secretariat (2000) Fighting Corruption, Promoting Good Governance. Commonwealth
Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London .
Corruption:
Challenges to good governance and Development in Nigeria by Hon. Justice Oyewole.
http://ejournal.sedinst.com/index.php/asedu/article/viewArticle/82/55
By Aisha Harun
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