BY SOLOMON DIBABA
A couple of days back, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has commissioned a National Anti-corruption Committee composed of seven government officials. Although their duties and responsibilities are yet to be disclosed in detail the Committee is expected to oversee the implementation of a nationwide anti-corruption measures.
Over the last three decades Ethiopia has attempted to conduct a protracted crackdown on the multi-sector corruption practices in the country by enforcing the rule of law through the courts of law. In Ethiopia, corruption has been manifested in the form of financial embezzlement, facilitation of corruptive practices by government higher officials and public servants entrusted by the government to carry out duties and responsibilities in specific professional areas.
However, in his recent response to the questions raised by the MPs, Prime Minister Abiy said “we have drawn a red line for corrupters but they turned the red line into a red carpet,” ironically suggesting that corruption has become a constant threat to the nation
Corruption in Ethiopia like elsewhere in the wider sense is also associated with favoritism, nepotism and parochialism in service delivery by government officials. Indeed, corruption proofing Ethiopia is not an easy task.
Manipulation of systems of operation including online theft and deviation from policy, strategies and guidelines opens loopholes for illegal acquisition of easy money which is in most cases difficult to account. In Ethiopia corruption is also visible in the management and operation of contracts, contracting out activities that can be handled in the capacity of institutions. This certainly demonstrates that corruption is increasing its horizon of operation.
Manipulations on private and government financial accounts are also another manifestation of corruption. One form of corruption is related to procurement, tender processing and mishandling of bid documents in total deviation from government rules and regulations.
For instance, according to a report by Global Financial Integrity, Ethiopia lost close to $12 billion since 2000 to illicit financial outflows. This is a national disaster that needs to be addressed unless the nation risks a total financial crisis which can through time become irreversible.
The sector implications of corruption ranges from heinous crimes to attempt to manipulate policies and regulations especially when they are implemented at lower levels. For instance, the private sector engaged in education is an arena of corruption in terms of standardization of educational regulations, payment of educational fees, certification and preparation of fake educational credentials.
It is difficult to accurately estimate the financial dimensions of corruption but some reports indicate that globally about 1 trillion USD is expended in the form of bribery.
The scale of corruption in Ethiopia has continued to grow in par with the level of economic growth. Corruption in this country has already grown from few thousands of birr to millions and there is no guarantee that it could scale up to the billions unless the rule of law is proactively made to prevail.
Since 2001, the institutional arrangement on tackling corruption has been coordinated by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. The Commission had to tackle with a constellation of corruption activities in the country from day one of its formation. A strategy document relating to institutional integration for corruption prevention was prepared to be implemented in each governmental institution while the Commission was entrusted with monitoring and evaluating their activities in curbing corruption in their respective institutions. Trainings were also provided on ethical leadership and corruption prevention for leaders of government institutions. The output however did not tally with the scale of the problem in the country.
Corruption is certainly preventable but the approach involves a series of integrated activities that are to be implemented in the context of the rule of law. The main point however is how to go by in accelerating the prevention process.
One of the preliminary approaches in the battle against corruption is setting up a strict financial and operational audit that is reviewed periodically. Under utilization or over utilization of financial resources allotted for government institutions opens a loophole through which blue and white collar bureaucrats can snatch public fund from state coffers.
Corruption cannot be fully eliminated through public awareness. Creating a corruption proofed society entails providing swift service to the public. People who seek service could easily be tempted to give all types of bribes to service providers who careless about national economic development but mind their own vested interests.
If not halted on time corruption can become a normal way of doing business and an accepted practice involving rent seekers, businesspersons and brokers who horde money for “hard times.”
Corruption also takes ethnic dimensions. Recent criminal reports have demonstrated that even those who are currently involved in law enforcement are involved in meddling in the political and terroristic activities in the western part of the country.
Corruption proofing Ethiopia is not a simple task. It involves taking various measures in which the public is at the vanguard. Nothing is completely invisible from the broad masses of Ethiopia but they have still remained the victims of the whole game.
Tax evasion has become a smart area of corruption for those who try to deceive themselves and the government but somewhere on the line they will be caught only to end up in jail disrupting the family fabric in the most devastating manner.
Although too late the recent initiative taken by the Premier is a good step for takeoff. As he has noted, the support to be provided to the National Anti-corruption Committee by all stakeholders and the entire population is critical.
Ethiopia is being robbed off not only of its financial resources. A considerable number of artifacts and cultural heritages are being endangered by corruption of the highest proportions and are being transported to unknown destinations either through contraband or under the guise of official permits.
Ethiopia is being devastated severely by the silent fifth columnists of corruption. Unless strong measure is taken to check corruption, corruption will take the throne of tacit legality and the consequences are far more severe than what we imagine.
At any rate the pace of the development of this country certainly depends upon the rate with which the nation can weed out corruption to provide the necessary and deserved service for citizens. The author thinks that a huge task awaits the government and the people of Ethiopia. Accountability and the rule of law must prevail if Ethiopia is to reap the fruits of its reform programs. We are very late but better late than never.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian
The Ethiopian November 19/2022
