AR-News: (Africa) Environment And Corruption

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

allAfrica.com
This Day (Lagos)
COLUMN
May 4, 2004 
Posted to the web May 4, 2004 
Robinson Alakwe
Lagos 
The environment, we are told, comprises our surroundings. One's surroundings 
include the totality of flora and fauna that influence one in spite of 
himself. Those that live in coastal town or the littoral states will, doubtless, be 
influenced by those features that are associated with riverine areas-the 
luxuriant vegetation, the beautiful landscape aesthetically pleasing. Those that 
live in the tropics are usually under tropical influences. What I am trying to 
say is that what influences one in a given time is dependent on the prevailing 
elements in action.
But wait a minute! What is the nexus between the environment and corruption, 
which this article is proposed to discuss? Just like the environment, our 
surroundings influence our every day life. We can equally talk in terms of 
environmental influence on the administrative life of individuals and countries. 
When, for example, we talk about physical conditions that we work in, we can as 
well call it work environment just as we talk in terms of political, financial, 
moral and social environments. Just like the influence of the environment on 
our lives, we have environmental influences on corruption, that is, the state 
of affairs that encourages and sustains corruption.
As a matter of fact, we are all humans, both black and white, but 
contemporary observations show that the blacks, especially Africans are more susceptible 
to corruption. When you ponder over this susceptibility, you are inclined to 
think whether there are innate brain peculiarities that condition the two races 
the way they are. After much research, and considering the equally epochal 
achievements by the blacks, we now know that nature bestows equally on every 
human being. We are the way we are due to many factors, predominantly 
environmental.
The salaries paid to workers in developed countries are enough to support 
decent life. In developing countries the salaries cannot even support the life of 
frugal comfort. Thus, workers in this part of the world must necessarily look 
elsewhere to make ends meet. In looking elsewhere, some take to robbery, 
while there are some that do not resist the lure of corruption insofar as it will 
better their lot. Such states of affairs that make corruption to thrive are 
the environmental elements of corruption.
Talking about crimes in the society, the current debate is whether death 
penalty should be abolished or not. When viewed critically, you will discover that 
the magnitude of punishment do not necessarily stop people from committing 
crimes. The name of the game is survival; to some people it must be at all 
costs. The fact to note is that people do not often contemplate the punishment 
awaiting them should they be caught committing crimes; they do not even bear 
thinking the possibility of being caught. Thus, in reducing crime, the emphasis 
should be on encouraging the blossoming of the environment that will not 
encourage crimes. When people are comfortable, when workers receive living 
salaries/wages, when employment is provided, crimes will reduce.
The same applies to corruption. The basic remedy to corruption is by 
encouraging the blossoming of healthy environment that will not encourage corruption. 
If policemen were well paid, they will certainly consider the extortion of 
N20.00 from motorists as infradig. The same applies, mutatis mutantur, to other 
professions/workers whose nature of job expose them to corruption.

full story:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200405040581.html 


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    "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those 
rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of 
tyranny. The question is not can they REASON, nor can they TALK, but can they 
SUFFER?" 
Jeremy Bentham 1748 - 1832 



         
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