Corrupt Practices And Their Effects On Nigeria Civil Service; An Examination Of Selected Ministries In Ebonyi State Civil Service (2019- 2023)

Project and Seminar material for Public Administration

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service using selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). The study is was specifically set to ascertain the prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023), ascertain the corrupt practices which ravaged ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023), and determine the effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023). The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprise of staff of selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 229 respondents and 210 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) is high. Furthermore, the study revealed that the effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) includes: poor service delivery, poor work environment, recruitment of unqualified staff, and mismanagement of finiancial resources. Therefore, it is recommended that punitive penalties that will serve as a deterrent to corrupt acts should be meted out to offenders. Penalties should be commensurate with the offences while any form of plea bargain or option of time should be abolished in any prosecution. The supreme price should be considered in some serious cases. To mention but a few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of Study

Corruption, no doubt, is a global phenomenon. It is a malaise that has threatened and continues to threaten the developmental efforts of many countries of the world. Corruption exists in both ‘developed’ and ‘developing societies’. According to Lipset and Lenz (2000), cited in Dike (2010), corruption is found in democratic and dictatorial politics; feudal, Capitalist and Socialist economies. And corrupt practices does not begin today: its history is as old as the world. Ancient civilizations have traces of widespread illegality and corruption. Thus, corruption has been a ubiquitous phenomenon in complex societies ranging from ancient Egypt, Israel, Rome and Greece to the present. The only marked differences between the two are its magnitude and mechanisms for detecting and dealing with corruption issues, the officials and their collaborators. In the developing countries, Africa is still struggling to achieve a certain level of national development, the issue of corruption cannot simply be wished away because of its corrosive effects on such national developmental efforts. In Nigeria, the issue of corruption is even more worrisome. It has assumed the level of a pandemic. It has permeated every aspect of our national life including the private sectors. The public service which is the government’s agency for any transformational efforts has been systematically corrupted with the attendant effects on good governance and overall national development. Indeed, the short and long term effect of a corrupt public service is incalculable to the socio-economic living conditions of the citizenry. According to Cater and Herz in Ngu (1992), civil service is the machinery through which the government provides its economic and social services to its citizens. The increasing and diversified roles of governments have in recent years, resulted in uncontrollable growth of modern bureaucracies, particularly in new states. In these new states, peoples’ expectation of government is growing higher and higher with the government becoming increasingly a part of the daily life of the average citizen (Reters 1978, Radley, 1979).

Effective civl service performance is a pre-requisite for sustainable development. This notion is anchored on the fact that government ability to deliver on her promises for better living is based on the efficiency of its public service performance. Therefore, the inability of the Nigerian civil service to perform optimally had over the years constituted a challenge, yet to be resolved. It is a known fact, and Nigerian experience exampled to this, that corruption is pronounced in the public service, its efficiency as well as ability to effect policy directed toward sustainable development goals like reduction of poverty, remains very low. The behaviour of public officials which deviates from accepted norms in order to serve private ends is corruption. It is a general term covering misuse of authority as a result of considerations of personal gain, embezzlement, stealing or misappropriation of public funds. Corruption has become highly rampant and permeates every sphere of state and society. Corruption in political and administrative arena hinders equality, efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness, accountability and justice and so on.

Corruptions in Nigeria exist at an alarming proportion. In government via public service, it thrives in the areas of project costing; ghost workers syndrome, contract awards and subsequent abandonment, payment of huge sums of money to political godfathers; embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds among others. The impact of corruption on the Nigerian society includes abysmal public service performance, inadequate infrastructure, bad governance, pervasive dehumanizing poverty and general underdevelopment. This accounts for the inefficient and unimpressive governance in Nigeria.

Corruption remains endemic as well as extremely prevalent in the civil service which affects its effectiveness and performance. There are instances where corruption within the public service manifested over the years: the haphazard or ineffective implementation of federal budgets between 1999-2002 could be gleaned from the people who the senate indicted over “an alleged non-implementation of all appropriation Acts since the dawn of democracy (in May 1999)” (Eminue, 2005). The persistent challenge in the Nigerian health sector is human resources’ crisis, which has the tendency to cripple the sector. Inadequate investment, weak administration and corruption remain the cause of poor health workers welfare and the widespread inefficiency in the healthcare workforce (Odusile, 2017). It is on the background of this that study aims to investigate corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service; an examination of selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023).

1.2 Statement of Problem

Corruption has become a major problem in government. Corruption emanates from the top level and so, the higher echelons of government are infested with the disease of corruption. Politics has been converted into pursuit of personal ends. The public office has become an opportunity to “strike gold and enjoy loaves and fishes of office”. The sharp decline in the standards of conduct of public service, and in such circumstances, governance, administration and management have lost their relevance. For example, the non implementation of government policies, financial fraud and crises of confidence within the ministries and its agencies. The alleged fraud and embezzlement and contract scam involving the Minister of Petroleum for State and NNPC Group Managing Director. The minister had lodged a detailed/documented complaint with the president of the Federal Republic and substantive oil minister, on the junior minister’s alleged sideling and insubordination by the NNPC Group Managing Director, in all matters on high level appointments, promotions, and award of contracts well exceeding 20billion dollars. Another is the non implementation of budgets by the various Ministries and Agencies of Government. The crisis of confidence in the health sector over allegations of fraud between the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme and the Minister of Health which has resulted to incessant strike actions by health workers. These problems are no doubt caused by corruption. Worse is the fact that despite the rapid growth in the size and power of the public service, there has not been an accompanied noticeable improvement in performance to the public or increased labour productivity in the public sector.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main aim of this study is to examine on corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service; an examination of selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). Other aims of this study are:

Ascertain the prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023).
Ascertain the corrupt practices which ravaged ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023).
Determine the effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023).

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

What is the prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023)?
What are the corrupt practices which ravaged ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023)?
What are the effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023)?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: The prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) is low.
Ha: The prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) is high.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Fighting corruption is not a onetime campaign. It took England more than a century to bring corruption under control. Hong-Kong and Singapore, which are mostly cited as success stories in the fight against corruption long ago. For instance, in Hong Kong, the anti-corruption drive commenced in 1974 and there is still corruption. In order to curb corruption in a relatively shorter period of time, therefore, designing effective anti-corruption strategies is indispensable. Accordingly, this study will have the following significance; It will serve as a source of reference for others who would like to know more about corruption, and interested in undertaking further research on corruption and anti- corruption; it will also serve as important starting point for policy makers to understand the effect of corruption in civil service.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses on the corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service; an examination of selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). however, the study is delimited to ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023).

1.8 Limitation of the Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. However, the researcher were able to manage these just to ensure the success of this study.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.9 Definition of the Terms

Corruption:

Is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries. Government, or ‘political’, corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.

Civil Service:

People who are employed by the government to maintain day to day activities and facilitate public policy making and implementation of government programmes who are often career servants paid from the government treasury, irrespective of which government or party is in power.

1.10 Organization of the Studies

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service using selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine corrupt practices and their effects on Nigeria civil service using selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023). The study was specifically carried out to ascertain the prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023), ascertain the corrupt practices which ravaged ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023), and determine the effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023).

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 210 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are staff of selected ministries in Ebonyi State civil service (2019- 2023).

5.3 Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concluded that;

The prevalence of corruption among ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) is high.
The corrupt practices which ravaged ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) includes: bribery, money laundering schemes, embezzlement and seizing salaries from fake workers.
The effect of corrupt practices on ministries in Ebonyi State between (2019- 2023) includes: poor service delivery, poor work environment, recruitment of unqualified staff, and mismanagement of finiancial resources.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are proffered.

The various anti-corruption agencies should be strengthened, wellfunded and given that real autonomy to function. The EFCC and ICPC should be merged to avoid duplication of functions and ensure more effectiveness.
The government should refrain from any form of interferences in corruption investigation and prosecution, irrespective of the offenders’ status and connection.
Punitive penalties that will serve as a deterrent to corrupt acts should be meted out to offenders. Penalties should be commensurate with the offences while any form of plea bargain or option of time should be abolished in any prosecution. The supreme price should be considered in some serious cases.
Public servants should be adequately motivated in terms of remunerations, training and pension/gratuities benefits. It is a major reason for corruption i.e. uncertainly about the future.
The judiciary needs to be reformed too to clear it of the bad eggs who sell justice to the highest bidder and the unnecessary adjournments that have characterised it of government. Otherwise, a special court for the anti- ?graft agencies should be considered.

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