News
Press Releases: Anti-Corruption Conference on 10-12 May 2010 in Tangier, Morocco
Published: May 19, 2010 - 04:29 PM
The Director of Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr Paulus Kalomho Noa attended a conference for heads of anti-corruption agencies on promoting good governance in public institutions in Africa on 10-12 May 2010 in Tangier, Morocco. The conference was organized by African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD).
The objective of the conference was to critically analyze the current practices, strategies and trends in the fight against corruption and maladministration in Africa, through sharing of knowledge and country experiences, with a view to seeking common African approaches to tackling the menace of corruption which have retarded growth and development in the various countries.
The main issues discussed during the three days of the conference included:
- the basis and impact of corruption on the population and on the African economy;
- pervasiveness of corruption in absence of individual moral conduct and integrity of public officials in African countries,
- the critical role of African governments in tackling corruption and the preventive measures and mechanisms to be put in place;
- Public – private sector partnerships to fight against corruption.
- Constitution and legal frameworks or systems for fighting corruption.
- the role of anti-corruption institutions in promoting good governance,
- collaboration among African countries and the rest of the world to tackle corruption, and
- how to strengthen governance systems as well as pave way for strong and capable public offices / institutions.
The Conference further noted that the African continent continues to be characterized by poor infrastructures and weak governance institutions, gullible and vulnerable citizens and high level of moral decadence and ethical degeneration.
The Conference, after extensive deliberations made the following recommendations:
- A strong political will is needed from African leaders for any successful prosecution of the war against corruption and maladministration as well as promoting the virtues of transparency, accountability, public service, and good governance.
- The importance of ecological factors cannot be over-emphasized. Accordingly, there is the urgent need to examine the management of the African system that promotes or are receptive to corrupt practices. The traditional African values of communal spirit, integrity and honesty should be promoted while the current threats to the germination of virtues of good governance should be removed.
- The legislatures in general, and the Public Accounts Committees of the various parliaments of Africa should strengthen the mechanisms for monitoring, detecting and sanctioning corrupt practices, while parliamentarians themselves should demonstrate sufficient political will by purging themselves of corrupt practices and abuse of office.
- Africa should not be satisfied with representative democratic governments alone, but efforts should be geared towards instilling the virtues of good governance, ethics and professionalism in the public services.
- Urge the African countries that are yet to put in place comprehensive anti-corruption programmes to immediately take steps to create appropriate legal and institutional frameworks for the fight against corruption as well as create conducive atmosphere for effective monitoring and enforcement.
- African leaders as a whole and donor/finance agencies should exercise additional leverage on those African countries that are yet to sign and/or ratify the available international, regional and sub-regional treaties, conventions and protocols to do so as a way of demonstrating their commitments to the fight against corruption and maladministration in public services and state institutions as well as the private sectors.
- Anti-corruption programmes and policies should accommodate civil society involvement, including aggressive civic education and mass mobilization programmes geared towards enlisting popular support for and participation in programmes of anti-corruption and public service integrity.
- Governments should consider taking such measures as would make the virtues of honesty and integrity attractive by not only protecting but also rewarding whistle blowers and private litigants who are able to provide information or take necessary steps to secure conviction for corrupt practices.
- Where multiple anti-corruption/integrity institutions co-exist in any country, proper legal framework should be put in place to clearly define and streamline their functions with a view to avoiding jurisdictional overlap that have tended to cause confusion and inter-agency conflicts in some countries.
- Individuals charged with the functions of monitoring and enforcing anti-corruption laws should themselves live above board and should not succumb to undue pressures and fears, but should rather put the public interest first in the discharge of their onerous duties.
- It is important for governments to create the needed conducive environment for the fight against corruption, including effective legal frameworks, strong institutional and enforcement mechanisms, effective parliamentary oversight, independent and corruption-free judiciary, and strong civil society including the media, educated and mobilized citizenry, strong political will at the highest levels of governments.
- Continuous collaboration, networking, and sharing of experiences, intelligence and information among African countries, including the critical role of CAFRAD in facilitating such activities are of crucial importance.
The Conference was attended by delegates from Benin, Cote d’Ivore, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda as well as representatives and resource persons from African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD).
RSS