Today, December 9, marks International Anti-Corruption Day, a day instituted by the United Nations to raise awareness about corruption and its effects and how it can be combatted. The day is often used to promote and strengthen measures aimed at eradicating corruption more efficiently and effectively and providing support for the fight against same.
Data from the United Nations reveal that $1 trillion is paid annually in bribes while an estimated $2.6 trillion is stolen annually through corruption, an amount that equals about 5 percent of global GDP. The incidence of corruption is even dire in Africa, where according to Transparency International, more than one in four people pay bribes to access public services. In all, $148 billion, representing 25 percent of Africa’s GDP, is lost to corruption annually.
With an increasing number of Africans battling with poverty, corruption represents that one problem that strikes at the core of their existence. It has a disproportionate impact on the poor and most vulnerable, increasing costs and reducing access to services, including health, education and justice. This hinders the social, political and economic development of the continent.
The theme for the celebration this year is “United Against Corruption,” and it seeks to mobilize individual, collective and institutional efforts against corruption. As the world commemorates the day, countries in Africa must do more to eradicate corruption. Beyond the platitudes, they must take drastic measures to curtail corruption in all its forms, especially political corruption, by strengthening state institutions and affording equal opportunities for all.
