In spite of what is on ground in the country with news on corruption making the rounds everyday, Nigeria dramatically improves in the 2006 TI corruption index, as it moves from no. 6 to 18.

NIGERIA has improved on the corruption index survey conducted by Transparency International (TI) as Haiti was ranked as the most corrupt country in the world.

In the list of 163 countries released yesterday, Nigeria improved from its rating as the second most corrupt nation two yeas ago to the 18th position in the latest rating.

Burma (Myanmar) was rated the second most corrupt nation followed by Iraq.

Bangladesh had headed the rankings for the previous five years while Nigeria moved from second position three years ago to sixth position last year.

The chair of TI, Hugette Labelle, said that there was a strong correlation between corruption and poverty. “Corruption traps millions in poverty,” she said.

“Despite a decade of progress in establishing anti-corruption laws and regulations, today’s results indicate that much remains to be done before we see meaningful improvements in the lives of the world’s poorest citizens.”

Corruption was perceived as being “rampant” in 71 of the countries studied. Among those whose corruption had worsened in the past year were Brazil, Tunisia and the US, TI said.

It added that the Czech Republic, Latvia and Uruguay were among those whose perception had improved. “While the industrialised countries score relatively high, we continue to see major corruption scandals in many of these countries,” TI said.

“Although corruption in this context may have less impact on poverty and development than in developing countries, these scandals demonstrate that there is no room for complacency.”

Haiti was the world’s first black-led republic and the first Caribbean state to achieve independence. But it has suffered from decades of poverty, environmental degradation, violence, instability and dictatorship which have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas.
A mostly mountainous country with a tropical climate, Haiti’s location, history and culture once made it a potential tourist hot spot.

However, instability and violence, especially since the 1980s, have all but destroyed this prospect. Another TI study published last month found that firms from China and India were most willing to pay bribes abroad to do business.

French and Italian firms were named as the worst culprits for paying bribes in low-income countries.

20 Most Corrupt Nations:
1. Haiti
2. Myanmar (Burma)
3. Iraq
4. Guinea
5. Sudan
6. Democratic Republic of Congo
7. Chad
8. Bangladesh
9. Uzbekistan
10. Equatorial Guinea
11. Cote d’Ivoire
12. Cambodia
13. Belarus
14. Turkmenistan
15. Tajikistan
16. Sierra Leone
17. Pakistan
18. Nigeria
19. Kyrgyzstan
20. Kenya

Robot  # 1 | 07.11.2006 05:46

In spite of what is on ground in the country with news on corruption making the rounds everyday, ...Read the full article.

Fjord  # 2 | 07.11.2006 06:12

=Robot;137669>In spite of what is on ground in the country with news on corruption making the rounds everyday, Nigeria dramatically improves in the 2006 TI corruption index, as it moves from no. 6 to 18.URL=http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php/content/view/4221/55>Read the full article. A trip to this page gives good explanations as to why that may have happened: http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2006/faq#change1 Plus, it is a Corruption Perceptions Index. Emphasis on perceptions. Again, you're comparing the Rank, which isn't anywhere near as important as the Score; Nigeria this year = 2.2; Nigeria last year = 1.9. Last year's list shows those countries worse than Nigeria this year were in the same range as Nigeria; things may have got significantly worse in them. And, the devil his due, the CPI number this year, compared to 2005, tells the story reasonably. .

omaks  # 3 | 07.11.2006 08:57

There is a misconception amoung us Nigerians that the searchlight should always be focused on all those things that are wrong with Nigeria and its corrupt tendencies. However, another perspective has to be monitored as well. Who are the beneficiaries of these corrupt enrichment? Which banks are most notorious for accepting stolen money from corrupt Nigerian, nay African politicians and government officials? Which countries are most notorious for not disclosing suspected money laundering and illicit deposit of large and inexplicabe sums of money of Nigerian and African origin? Why are banks in developed countries reluctant to expose suspected corrupt government officials with bank bursting lodgment of cash? Which countries are most notorious for colluding with corrupt government officials to embezzle and transfer money into the economy of developed countries? From your article we learn that French and Italian companies are most notorious for engaging in bribery. Definitly corruption is an act that involves more than one person. So Nigerian politicians and government officials are corrupt, but why is there no index rating of developed countries and companies benefiting from corruption in Nigeria and other countries? Why is there no exposure on government officials and businesses that have been known to encourage corruption in Nigeria and Africa? What is being done on the other side to redress this problem? Do not forget that the momentum against money laundering in the UK and America only increased post September 2001(9/11 bombings). So if there is no advantage to the developed countries, they sit back and make jest of us. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, everyone is being inundated with calims of corruption in the underdeveloped world. This is not new to us in Nigeria and Africa!! If there is any semblance of improvement in Nigeria's standing on the corruption index of Transparency International, maybe it is because Nigeria has started to recognise the injury caused to its image in the committe of nations and is trying to correct these ills. It does not mean Nigeria is becoming corruption - free, or that things have improved drastically. However, bits of raindrops eventually build up to form a lagoon. Let's not rest on our oars, but intensify all resources and efforts in combating this national malaise that has eaten deep into the fabric of our national existence. Long may Nigeria Live, and God bless all well meaning Nigerians!!