International Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research Vol. 4(2), pp. 031-044, September, 2019. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 0615-3011 Research Article Combating Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Corruption Perceptions of Public Administration University Students in Eritrea Dr. Yemane Desta Department of Public Administration, College of Business and Social Sciences, University of Asmara, P.O.BOX 1220 Asmara, Eritrea E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]; Tel: 291-1-7645753 This article presents an analysis of data from a corruption perception survey administered to 90 Public Administration University of Asmara students in the month of June 2018. Respondents were asked for their opinions regarding the pervasiveness, causes, and potential remedies for corruption in Eritrea. The majority of the surveyed university students believe corruption in Eritrea is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by its leaders. The findings clearly indicate that the respondents believe the primary drivers of corruption in the Eritrean public sector include lack of adequate public sector pay, lack of meritocratic personnel policies, the self-serving behavior of public officials and lack of accountable/transparent political process. An overwhelming majority of the respondents recommended the urgent design and implementation of anti-corruption initiatives in Eritrea focusing on civil service reforms (improved public sector pay, heavy penalties and meritocratic personnel policies), accountability reforms (anti-corruption commission, anti-corruption legislation and the Auditor-General office) and political reforms (respect for rule of law, visible leadership commitment and legislative oversight). Keywords: anti-corruption, corruption, corruption perception, Sub-Saharan Africa, transparency, university students INTRODUCTION The term ‘Corruption’ originates from the Latin word– developing countries, corruption seems to be an inherent corrumpere, which means ‘bribe, mar or destroy’ Much feature of all societies including those of the developed evidence suggests that it has been around the world from world (Iyada, 2012). time immemorial, and, in recent times, it has occupied a front seat in global discussions (Bechem, 2018). Quoted by Thompson (2013) in his foreword to the United Corruption, broadly defined as the abuse of public office Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003, for private gain by the World- Bank, has been the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that: acknowledged as a universal problem. Cited in (Genemo (2014) Faniel (2009) asserts that corruption, the worst Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide social evil on earth, has, no doubt, become a major global range of corrosive effects on societies. It threat to the stability and security of societies and the undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads flourishing of values of democracy, expansion of ethical to violations of human rights, distorts markets, values, and enhancing sustainable development. Iyada erodes the quality of human life, and allows (2012) observes that corruption is a universal problem, organized crime, terrorism and other threats to which is not a restricted preserve to any nation race or human security to flourish. This evil phenomenon section but rather transcends states’ borders and is found in all countries – big and small, rich and symbolizes a universal phenomenon. While several poor – but it is in the developing world that its instances of corruption have been witnessed in the effects are most destructive. Combating Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Corruption Perceptions of Public Administration University Students in Eritrea Desta Y. 032 Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by majority of the respondents considered corruption in diverting funds intended for development, Eritrea to be primarily driven by lack of adequate public undermining a Government’s ability to provide sector, pay, lack of meritocratic personnel policies, the basic services, feeding inequality and injustice self-serving behavior of public officials and lack of and discouraging foreign aid and investment. accountable/transparent political process. Moreover, the Corruption is a key element in economic surveyed University of Asmara students indicated strong underperformance and a major obstacle to preference for civil service reforms (improved public sector poverty alleviation and development. pay, heavy penalties and meritocratic personnel policies), accountability reforms (anticorruption commission, When examining the nature of corruption, it is important to anticorruption legislation and the Auditor-General office) note that there are three theoretical explanations - and political reforms (respect for rule of law, visible personalistic, institutional and systemic are used to put the leadership and legislative oversight) to prevent emergence study of corruption in perspective. Personalistic or of corruption at a grand scale in the country. Thus, the individual explanations associate corruption with study was designed to serve as diagnostic tool for individuals, who provided with enough opportunities, will identifying and hopefully designing and implementing anti- act corruptly and as such the phenomenon of corruption is corruption measures that fit the specific environment of the reduced to personalities. (Osei-Hwedie & Osei-Hwedie, newly independent state of Eritrea. The survey evidence 2000). According Institutional explanations, on the other gathered from prospective public administration university hand, regard corruption as deep-seated consequence of students (destined to become the future public servants in loopholes, hidden dynamics, or unintended side effects the government of Eritrea) was used as basis for inherent in a country’s institutions and laws, rather than recommendations and further debate. merely the wrong doings of few bad individuals. (Kupedeh, 1995; Johnston, 2000). Lastly, Systemic explanations, originating in the interaction between government and the PURPOSE OF STUDY public, are the most comprehensive explanation as corruption is regarded as a form of influence within the This research upon which this article is based was political system, rather than the failing of individuals and undertaken to achieve the following objectives: institutions. (Kupendeh, 1995). The systemic explanation • To explore the nature of corruption in Sub-Saharan in includes economic, social, political and administrative Africa and the alternative anti-corruption reforms factors that contribute to the emergence and growth of available to fight corrupt practices in the region corruption in a given setting. For the purpose this study • To assess the perception of Eritrean public the conceptual framework centered on systemic administration students regarding the extent or explanations was used to bear on the analysis of pervasiveness of corruption in Eritrea corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa in general an in Eritrea in • To discover the views of Eritrean public administration particular. Recognizing corruption is complex students on the main causes of corruption in Eritrea phenomenon having multiple causes, this article utilized a • To discover the views of Eritrean public administration holistic approach to examine the sum total of the students on the potential remedies for corruption in institutions and practices within a given country that Eritrea address aspects of maintaining the honesty and integrity • To identify anti-corruption reform priorities among of government and private sector institutions. alternatives derived from anti-corruption theory as well as local realities Because of the limited previous research on corruption in sub-Saharan Africa countries and the likelihood of the differences among these countries, there is a need for RESEARCH QUESTIONS conducting studies of corruption at the country-level in order to fully account for unique contextual factors. The research methodology relied on research questions Accordingly, this study started by reviewing the overall aimed at gauging Eritrean public administration students’ corruption levels and the range of ant-corruption strategies perceptions about the extent, causes and anti-corruption available for preventing and combating corruption in the reform priorities of corruption in the context of Eritrea. They context of Sub-Saharan Africa. Then, data was analyzed were as follows: and presented by canvasing the opinions of 90 graduating 1. What is the prevalence of corruption in Eritrea as public administration University of Asmara students perceived by Eritrean public administration students? regarding the extent, causes and possible cures of 2. What are the causes of corruption in Eritrea as corruption in Eritrea drawing on close-ended questionnaire perceived by Eritrean public administration students? survey. 3. What are the perceptions of Eritrean public administration students regarding anti-corruption The findings of the indicate the majority of the respondents strategies that can be effective in curbing corruption in regarded corruption as a serious problem in Eritrea Eritrea? requiring the urgent attention of its leaders. A significant Combating Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Corruption Perceptions of Public Administration University Students in Eritrea Int. J. Public Admin. and Pol. Res. 033 4. What are the initiatives and concrete steps that need “as the abuse of power for private gain” (World Bank, to be taken on lesser and greater scales in