Former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says
Nigeria and other countries can fight corruption through strengthening
institutions and incentives which could help shape the behaviour of people.
Okonjo-Iweala said this during a panel
discussion tagged, “Fighting corruption’’ at the World Bank/IMF headquarters in
Washington DC, United States, US.
She noted that the introduction of
technologies in the financial administration would help checkmate corrupt
practices.
According to Okonjo-Iweala, “In terms of the
fight against corruption, incentives and institutions matter. My experience has
been that people in one place are no more corrupt than the other; but if the
institutions are not there or they are very weak, then the incentive to be
corrupt is stronger.
“So, if you have a financial management system
that is still cash-based, you open the door for people to manipulate or be able
to intrude into the system.
“If you can introduce more technology, if you
can have systems and processes that guide government, if you can make
e-procurement, the more of that you can build institutionally, and strengthen
the institutions and then have the institutions of the rule of law alongside
that, I think the more you will be able to fight corruption. We really need a
systematic plan about fighting corruption.”
She added, “The bid stories about scandals
about corruption are really what people want to read. But actually, fighting
corruption and putting those systems in place are very ‘unsexy’; it takes time.
It took us 10 years to try and build the Government Integrated Financial
Management System in Nigeria, to get way from cash-based transactions.
“When you say the Government Integrated
Financial Management System, it is so boring; nobody wants to hear. But that is
what needs to be done. So, that is my one mantra. I think it is all about
strengthening institutions.
“Now, coming to the private sector; yes, the
private sector is part of the problem; there is no doubt about it. The World
Economic Forum estimated that bribery adds about 10 per cent to the cost of
doing business. So, they are undoubtedly part of it. But I also want to say
that the private sector is beginning to see that they are part of the solution,
and that the world has changed. There are responsible private sector people and
organisations that want to be part of the solution and part of that change.”
Feel Free To Comments Here...
No comments:
Post a Comment