The World Bank said the “quiet corruption” of absenteeism (fravær) and negligent management may be as big a threat to Africas development as the graft (misbrugs) scandals that frequently dominate newspaper headlines.
Healthcare, education and other services are suffering because of malpractices that do not involve the exchange of money, negating gains from increased aid to the continent. The findings form part of the Banks 2010 Africa Development Indicators report released Monday.
Some of the most common forms of this corruption mentioned are absenteeism from work by officers paid from public funds, lower level of effort than expected and bending of rules for personal advantage.
“Others include drugs being stolen from public clinics and sold in the private market as well as subsidized fertilizer being diluted before it reaches farmers”, the report states.
World Bank Vice President for Africa Obiageli Ezekwesili said the most prominent examples of this vice (unode) are absentee teachers and doctors in public schools and hospitals.
– Quiet corruption does not make the headlines the way bribery scandals do, but it is just as corrosive (nedbry-dende) to societies, said World Bank Chief Economist for Africa Shanta Devarajan.
– Tackling quiet corruption will require a combination of strong and committed leadership, policies and institutions at the sectoral level, and – most important – increased accountability and participation by citizens, Devarajan noted.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
