U.S.-Nigeria Working in Partnership Against Corruption

[Richard Akindele]

The United States is working closely with Nigeria in a "true international partnership" to help it fight corruption, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the U.S. Congress May 18.

Thomas-Greenfield, who was called to report on U.S. government programs to help Nigeria rid itself of corruption, told the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations that combating corruption and improving transparency in Nigeria are two cornerstones of U.S. policy.

The U.S. official told the lawmakers the importance of combating corruption and promoting transparency on all levels is regularly "raised at the highest levels" in government meetings both in Abuja and Washington.

She praised Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo and Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for having "done much at the national level" to improve federal financial management but added "more clearly needs to be done" especially at the state government level.

The United States, she said, "strongly supports greater transparency in the budget process to lock-in economic reform." She went on to praise a "brave" decision by the finance minister to make public for the first time, national and state budgets, so everyone can see and track public expenditures.

Thomas-Greenfield said the United States is currently assisting Nigeria in its anti-corruption efforts on a number of fronts: through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S. Nigeria Trade Investment Framework Agreement, and support for the African Union Peer Review Process and the Group of Eight (G8).

At their June 2003 summit in Evian, France, leaders of the G8 nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia -- endorsed a comprehensive anti-corruption and transparency action plan that included a commitment to help developing countries build their capacity to strengthen domestic institutions and enhance transparency and accountability.

"President Bush expanded on these commitments at the [G8] Sea Island Summit (June 2004) by joining Nigerian President Obasanjo in launching an anti-corruption and transparency compact to support country efforts to improve transparency in government budget processes, procurement and the awarding of concessions," Thomas-Greenfield told the lawmakers. (See related article.)

On the political front, she said, "the even-handed and transparent prosecution of corruption in politics can build Nigeria's confidence in the accountability of their elected officials and strengthen Nigeria's most recent transition to democracy.

"Good governance," she added, "will strengthen the transparent and effective use of public and donor resources and encourage increased investment and growth in Nigeria."

A CALL FOR FISCAL TRANSPARENCY

With regard to business, Thomas-Greenfield said that regrettably, "corruption affects many aspects of the business climate" there. "By improving economic governance," she said, adding, "Nigeria can set itself on the path towards attracting new investment and achieving sustainable economic growth."

The speedy ratification of pending Nigerian legislation on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, public procurement, and fiscal transparency are key first steps, according to Thomas-Greenfield, that will diminish the potential for graft and bribery and improve Nigeria's business climate.

She identified the Nigerian government's struggle against corruption as a "crucial element" in U.S. efforts to promote sustainable development in the Niger River delta region, which produces a sizeable proportion of Nigeria's GDP (gross domestic product) and 11 percent of U.S. petroleum imports.

Unfortunately, in its current state, she said, the region is "deeply impoverished and subject to destabilizing violence."

DEMOCRACY PROMOTION "FOREMOST" U.S. POLICY OBJECTIVE

Thomas-Greenfield told the lawmakers that democracy promotion is the "foremost" U.S. policy objective in Nigeria. "Corruption undermines democracy in Nigeria. Good governance and accountability builds trust in the democratic system and elected officials."

Looking ahead, Thomas-Greenfield said Nigeria's 2007 presidential and legislative elections "pose a unique opportunity for democratic consolidation. Members of the Nigerian House and Senate â-oe recently voted against the constitutional amendment that would have allowed the president to run for a third term -- despite reports of votes being boughtâ-oe."

"Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding this contentious issue," she said, "the greatest U.S. concern regarding corruption and democracy in Nigeria is that serious work remains to be done to realize genuinely transparent and legitimate elections in 2007."

Source: United States Department of State.