AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF CORRUPTION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN NIGERIA: ACASE STUDY OF EDO SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

ABSTRACT

Issue of corruption in Nigeria has been a major concern to all and sundry in the society. The upsurge of this social menace in Nigeria in recent times is disturbing and it seems the menace has defied all kinds of treatment and the damage it has caused to national life cannot be quantified. The objective of this project therefore, is to examine and assess corruption in the public sector in Nigeria with particular reference to Edo South Senatorial District. It has generated data based on questionnaires, on the public perception and level of corruption in the study area. The questionnaire and the groups tested were segmented.

However, it was observed that many factors such as; lack of transparency, moral laxity, weak government institutions, unemployment and poverty etc. were significant factors stimulating corruption in Nigeria. By this result, it means that proactive measures must be shaped towards eradicating corruption in Nigeria. This project recommends, among others, that government should strengthen the institutions established to fight corruption.

This study adopted the idealistic theory, low risk high benefit theory, anomie theory, theory of two publics, resource-curse theory and among others theory, which state that plenty of mineral resources is more often a curse than a blessing, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, a review of empirical works, Corruption Perception Index Report of Transparency International and some corruption cases in Nigeria was explored. This project discovers that corruption had being part of our socio- political and economic life in Nigeria as shown by the corruption perception index from 1996 to date and that majority of corruption cases in the public sector over the years.