CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study:

Corruption is a global phenomenon. It is not the exclusive preserve of any nation, race or section of the world but transcends national boundaries and frontiers and symbolizes phenomenal universal unwholesomeness politically (Aluko, 2009 in Iyanda, 2012). Corruption is no doubt a global phenomenon that has threatened and still continues to threaten the developmental efforts in many nations; particularly the developing countries of the world (Kayode, Adagba and Anyio, 2013).

In Nigeria corruption is a common word used by both adults and children because it is found in every aspect of Nigeria. This monster called corruption has now been nick named in most Nigerian languages especially in the three major languages! Ndokwu (2004) says: the Igbos call it Igbuozu, the Yorubas call it Egunje while the Hausas call it Chuachua. People no longer frown or feel ashamed to engage in corrupt practices! Chuachua/Egunje or Igbuozu is now acceptable and it is possible to hear someone openly complaining that there is no Chuachua, Egunje or Igbuozu at his or her place of work and as such a person might quickly resign if he or she finds another work where there is opportunity for Chuachua. It is as bad as that! (Iyanda, 2012).

This menance has led to situations like slow movement of files in offices, police exortion of toll fees, port congestion, queues at passport offices and petrol stations, ghost workers syndrome, election irregularities, among others (Dike, 2005, Ihenacho, 2004 in Aluko (2009).

The fundamental challenges battling grassroots development in Nigeria has been one of high level corruption and its twain demons of poverty and economic hardship which have continue in this 21stcentury to elude sustainable development at the grassroots (Ojo, 2014).

The need to catalyze balanced development touching the grassroots, maximize citizen's participation, and arouse government responsive necessitates the creation of the local government. The local government serves as a form of political and administrative structure facilitating decentralization, national integration, efficiency in governance, and a sense of belonging at the grassroots. The local government is a unit of administration all over the world (Agagu, 2004 in Adeyemi, 2012).

Although it is a universal institution, it however exists in different forms and in different political systems. Whatever the form of existence, the local government has been essentially regarded as the path to and guarantor of administrative efficiency, effective service delivery and participatory development (Arowolo, 2005). According to Odo (2014) local government is a critical tier of government because of its closeness to the people. Local government appeals to both the people and government as a feedback institution that relays the opinions and demands of the grassroots to a higher government (Adeyemi, 2012).

In Nigeria, eradicating corruption has been a major concern of successive government in the country because of its association with sustainable development at the grassroots (Kayode et al., 2013).

Odey (2002) opined that corruption in Nigeria is  as the air which every living person breathes in and out, According to him, nobody makes any effort to breathe in the air, it comes naturally. Corruption in Nigeria has become so naturalized that' many of us simply become corrupt without making any effort and often even without knowing it. It is in light of this that the research is posed to explore the effect of Corruptive Practices on Sustainable Grassroots Development in Nigeria with a special reference to Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

1.2    Statement of Problem:

Literature reveal that despite the establishment of various anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB) to wage war against corruption in Nigeria, its magnitude appears to be on the high side.

Corruption has impaired hard work, diligence and efficiency. It has caused incalculable damages to the social and political development of Nigeria and the grassroots in particular. It subverts honest selection processes and distorts prices. Furthermore, it weakens institutions, hampers investment and retards sustainable economic development. More importantly the resources that should be used for developmental purposes are being diverted from the society to private or personal use. This accumulation of the nation’s economic resources for personal benefits had variously contributed to the leakage of capital from Nigeria for illegal deposits abroad.

The prevalence of these activities in various aspects of our lives has a tremendous adverse effect on the quality of life of this country, our living standards and national psyche. Corruption brings a nation no good. The resources meant for water supply, roads, education, health and other basic and social services that are captured and stolen by a handful of Nigerians through corrupt acts stultify economic and social development hence creeping poverty all over the place (Ekwueru & Daminabo, 2008).

In other words, it has a crowding out effect on the growth and development of the country. It’s contributing effects on poverty and absence of infrastructural development at the grassroots is the more worrying. Nevertheless the extents of these negative effects are yet to be measured and quantified. It is against this background that this study seeks to examine the extent and the magnitude of the effect of corruptive practices on sustainable grassroots development in Nigeria and draw up policy recommendations for the eradication of Corruption in Nigeria.

1.3       Objectives of the Study

The major objective of this study is to examine the effect of corruptive practices on sustainable grassroots development in Nigeria. Other specific objectives include;

1.      to examine the effect of bribery and corruption on developmental projects at the grassroots level in Lagos State.

2.      to find out if poor salary scheme and weak law enforcement mechanisms promote corruption in Nigeria.

3.      to find out if administrative fraud in Iba LCDA constitute a barrier to effective resource mobilization and allocation

4.to find out if corruption leads to poor service delivery in Iba LCDA

1.4       Research Questions

The undertaking of this research project will beam a searchlight on the following research questions;

   1.        What is the effect of bribery and corruption on developmental projects at the grassroots level in Lagos State?

   2.        Could poor salary scheme and weak law enforcement mechanism be responsible for the spread ofcorruption in Nigeria?

   3.        Will corruption lead to poor service delivery in Iba LCDA?

1.5       Research Hypotheses

The researcher intends to test the following hypotheses at 0.5 level of significance;

Hypothesis One:

Ho:      Bribery and corruption do not have any effect on developmental projects at the grassroots level in Lagos State

Hi:       Bribery and corruption have an effect on developmental projects at the grassroots level in Lagos State

Hypothesis Two:

Ho:      Poor salary scheme and weak law enforcement mechanisms are not             responsible for the spread of corruption in Nigeria

Hi:       Poor salary scheme and weak law enforcement mechanisms are responsible for the spread of corruption in Nigeria

Hypothesis Three:

Ho:      There is no significant relationship between corruption and poor service delivery            in IbaLCDA

Hi:       There is a significant relationship between corruption and poor service delivery in Iba LCDA

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