No linked challenges.
No linked visions.
The Consequences of Bad Public Governance in African countries
Effective public governance ensures equity in the sharing of a country's national cake.....
When we talk about Public Governance we broadly mean the formal and informal practicalities that determine how public decisions and actions are carried out from the perspective of maintaining a country’s constitutional values (UN, New York 2007, IV).Public governance as a practicality is likened to a coin, it manifests in two different dimensions. In simplicity, a public governance structure or practicality can be either good or bad.
A good public governance is a structure that promotes the effectiveness of rule of law by helping to strengthen democracy and human rights, promoting economic prosperity and social cohesion. According to a UN’s Literature Review on Public Governance Indicators (2007, 4), governance is “good” when it allocates and manages resources effectively and efficiently to respond to collective problems of citizens in a country. The giants strides that many advanced countries have attained are as a result of good governance practices. Without good governance—without the rule of law, predictable administration, legitimate power and responsive regulation—no amount of funding, no amount of charity will set a country on the path to prosperity.” (Kofi Annan, Past UN Secretary-General)
Conversely, bad public governance is a political governing structure coupled with gross inefficiencies ranging from corruption and graft; political instability and violence; unfriendly market policies; nepotism; bureaucracy and red tapesim; and among other incompetencies. Africa abounds with various rich natural resources but having a vivid view through the continent, one can discover some of these economic inefficiencies. In terms of corruption and graft, international advocacy groups such as Transparency International and others have identified corruption as Africa's major obstacle to development. According to a report released by the World Bank, “Quiet corruption” involving small amounts of money and low-level civil servants, is having militating effect on African development. (Asumpta Lattus, 2010). “Quiet corruption” simply means issues that an average African perceives as trivial but has a vicious effect on development. For instance, the use of ghost names to secure salaries from the government by civil servants, absenteeism among teachers or doctors, diverting a public good for one’s personal usage, and among other illicit practices.
In trying to nip corruption in the bud, the Economic Community for Africa established in August 2006 the Governance and Public Administration Division (GPAD) with the aim of improving governance and development management to enhance national capacity and capability in member countries. Notwithstanding the structures that the organisation is putting in place, the problem of corruption is still a canker in Africa. Fellow reader, what then do you think can be done to circumvent the increasing corruption activities that are on course in the African continent? Is it attitudinal change, or........?
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0 , 5365508, 00.html (\'Quiet corruption\' undermining African development, retrieved on the 20th of July 2010)
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan027075.pdf (UN’s Literature Review on Public Governance Indicators 2007, retrieved on the 20th of July 2010)
Research question: What can done to circumvent the increasing corruption activities that are on course in the African continent
Can you solve this challenge?
or
Would you like to comment?
Log in or Sign up
Comments