Posted by By Stanley Nkwazema on
Nigeria is among 37 countries that have failed to ratify a major African-initiated anti-corruption convention, that is meant to send a positive.....
Nigeria is among 37 countries that have failed to ratify a major African-initiated anti-corruption convention, that is meant to send a positive signal of improving transparency and good governance for the continent.
Already, 15 countries have now ratified the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and Related Offences (AU Convention) and made a binding commitment to implement its provisions.
Interestingly, while the 15 have promised to monitor the convention and make it work, about 37 others, including Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and Egypt have so far failed to ratify. Transparency International (TI), in a mail sent to THSIDAY yesterday, applauded the entry into force of the Convention adopted two years earlier, which sets strong regional standards to practically fight corruption.
Akere Muna, TI?s Vice Chairman said the organisation is, however, challenging African countries that have sat on the side-lines to demonstrate their commitment to the regional anti-corruption agenda.
Fifteen ratifications represent less than one-third of the membership of the African Union.
Ratification must take place in a larger number of countries to truly affirm that African countries are indeed committed to combating corruption.
The Convention requires African government officials to declare their assets, adhere to ethical codes of conduct, provide citizens? access to government information about budget spending and to protect those who blow the whistle on state fraud.
Akere said the convention establishes procurement standards, accounting standards, transparency in the funding of political parties and recognises the need for civil society participation. It also requires African countries to establish as criminal offences, bribery, diversion of property, trading in influence, illicit enrichment, money laundering and concealment of property.
The TI framework provides for cross-border law enforcement cooperation within Africa. This is essential to ensure that no country on the continent provide a safe haven for those who steal from the public in other African countries or for their stolen assets.
Muna said to give the treaty enough bite, African countires need to do more than formally adopting it, adding that ratification is the beginning of a process and not an end to itself.
?Requirements of the Convention will now have to be translated into national laws, policies and practices, and the appropriate institutions put in place at the level of the AU Commission. TI and its chapters in Africa will encourage participation of civil society and media, as stated in Article 12 of the Convention, in monitoring its implementation.
Gillioan Deell, TI programme manager, urged civil society groups in Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and Egypt to demand why their governments have not yet ratified the covention, saying ?this Convention is a valuable tool for civil society organisations, trade unions and the private sector to hold their governments accountable.
?They should seize the opportunity to mobilise public support for the Convention and press for ratification, implementation and monitoring.?
In particular, civil society groups in Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and Egypt should demand to know why their governments have not yet ratified.
The best way to keep up the momentum for implementation is to monitor the progress of countries on implementation of the requirement. The AU Convention provides for an Advisory Board to carry out this role. The AU must move swiftly to establish this Board and ensure that it is adequately resourced, professionally staffed, transparently run and that civil society has a recognised channel for making inputs to the review process.
The AU Convention was adopted by African Heads of State and Government in July 2003 at the AU summit in Maputo, Mozambique and required 15 ratifications before coming into force.