‘Behavioural change key to tackling corruption’

Some scholars, including Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Prof. Antonia Simbine; Director, Centre for Gender Studies, Bayero University, Kano, Dr Safiya Ahmad Nuhu; Deputy Director, MacArthur Foundation Africa Office, Dr Amina Salihu, an agricultural economist from the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr Temitayo Adeyemo, and others, yesterday, said that addressing people’s behaviour should be key to curbing corruption.

They lamented that the menace of corruption appeared to have defied solution, hence the need for Nigerians to change their attitude towards graft.

The dons also harped on the need for Nigeria to have a systemic approach to fighting corruption just as they insisted that all the necessary anti-corruption agencies should initiate programmes, which would attend to the fear, sad and angry impacts of corruption on women and men.

They spoke during the monthly seminar series of NISER held at the institute’s hall in Ibadan.

Simbine said that understanding the behaviour of the people would enable the fight against corruption, especially how it affects men and women with their age levels differently.

In her lead presentation, Adeyemo said men and women have different experiences of corrupt behaviours when they interact with government agencies.

The don stated that as a result of differences in power relations, access to resources, ability to make decisions, what men and women face and especially men and women of different age groups, different educational status and different occupational types differ.

“So some people are profiled while some are more vulnerable than others. So, when we look at gender lens, it’s not just being male and female, it’s intersection of their ages, education, occupation and what those things bring to the table when they interact with government agencies in terms of corrupt behaviours. Of course, the solution is that let there be sustainable changes within our system. Governance is important, our systems and institutions must change. We must ensure that they don’t enable corruption,” the scholar said.

Also speaking, Nuhu said gender inclusion is a critical issue for sustainable development.

The director said corruption, as the research has discovered, affects more women than men, adding: “Women are the most vulnerable. They are the least included with the least resources and that means that they are unable to contribute their quota to national development.”