Letters

• Author: Tony Nze Njoku
• Position: Lagos, Nigeria

Corruption in Africa

Agenda for Africa's Economic Renewal, which was reviewed by Hiroyuki Hino in the March 1997 issue of Finance & Development, should interest anyone who desires the economic emancipation of Africa. However, better results would be achieved by identifying and tackling the root of the problem, which is to be found in pervasive corruption.

Corruption is not unique to Africa but its institutionalization and glorification in some African countries are phenomenal and serve as the force behind the gross mismanagement too often witnessed today. In fact, corruption is central to the economic woes of the continent. For example:

* Some African governments have come up with good economic policies and programs. However, implementation has foundered because of corruption within the system. Programs that would benefit the majority are too often sacrificed to someone's personal interest.

* A government official who benefits from importing agricultural machines and working with powerful businessmen can ensure that a program for the local fabrication of machinery fails totally. He is interested only in huge profits from inflated invoices at the expense of a program that would best benefit the agricultural sector. Also, contracts for agricultural infrastructure (such as feeder roads and storage facilities) are often abandoned before they are finished-but government records show them as having been satisfactorily completed. It is likely that contractors have "settled" with the officials in charge.

* Government policies and programs are administered by civil servants, some of whom are corrupt or unmotivated. They know that many of their superiors take bribes, inflate contract prices, receive kickbacks, and the like. Every official transaction thus provides an avenue to amass wealth, which leads to poor service and failed government programs.

* Public corporations are supposed to provide quality services to the public that are vital to economic development and growth, but corruption has taken center stage. For instance, in Nigeria electricity is a luxury affordable only by the elite, and some areas remain in darkness for months. The power company's position is that...