A new public survey released yesterday by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) reports high levels of corruption in public institutions in Nigeria for the past five years. Of the five major public institutions surveyed, the police emerged as the most corrupt, with the power sector identified as the second most corrupt in the country today.
Other public institutions identified as corrupt by 70 percent of Nigerians surveyed are the judiciary, education and health ministries. The survey revealed that the level of corruption has not changed in the last five years.
The latest report by SERAP entitled, “Nigeria: Corruption Perception Survey,” was launched yesterday in Lagos.
According to the survey, “a bribe is paid in 54 percent of interactions with the police. In fact, there is a 63 percent probability that an average Nigerian would be asked to pay a bribe each time he or she interacted with the police. That is almost two out of three.”
The chairman of the report launch, Professor Akin Oyebode said: “Nigeria is looked upon as giant of Africa. Yet, Nigeria could not conduct free, fair and credible elections. It is a smear on the image of Nigeria. If we do away with selective enforcement and condonation of corruption we will build and live in a better society. Corruption is a refined form of stealing. The politicians are stealing our common patrimony. Development of the people is almost inversely proportional to the level of corruption.”
The report said: “Corruption remains a significant impediment to law enforcement, access to justice and basic public services such as affordable healthcare, education
“The national survey carried out between September and December 2018, covered the police, judiciary, power, education and health sectors to assess the state of corruption in law enforcement and public service provision.
The chairman of the report launch, Professor Akin Oyebode said: “Nigeria is looked upon as giant of Africa. Yet, Nigeria could not conduct free, fair and credible elections. It is a smear on the image of Nigeria. If we do away with selective enforcement and condonation of corruption we will build and live in a better society. Corruption is a refined form of stealing. The politicians are stealing our common patrimony. Development of the people is almost inversely proportional to the level of corruption.”
The report said: “Corruption remains a significant impediment to law enforcement, access to justice and basic public services such as affordable healthcare, education
Corruption is still a key concern in the country with 70 percent of Nigerians describing the level of corruption as high and in the same measure, stating that corruption levels either increased or remained the same in the last five years.
“The national survey carried out between September and December 2018, covered the police, judiciary, power, education and health sectors to assess the state of corruption in law enforcement and public service provision.
