Hi Ndey, That's a good one.Keep it up. Fatou Harona Drammeh. >From: James Gomez <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Briefings on the WADNET Conference in Abuja, Nigeria >Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 09:34:36 -0700 > >greetings, this is a test. > >thanks > >Ndey Jobarteh wrote: > > > I just got back from Abuja, Nigeria where i was coordinating a training > > workshop on Leadership and Management for Nigeria Women NGOs. During >this > > trip we had the West Africa Democracy Network(WADNET) Conference at the >ECOWAS > > Secretariat in Abuja. > > > > The Theme for the conference was "Organising for Sustainable Democracy >and > > Development in West Africa in the Next Millenium" and the Sub themes >include: > > Democracy and the Rule of Law > > The Civil Society and Democracy > > Democracy and Development > > Democracy and Diveristy > > Peace Building and Conflict Management > > Transparency and Accountability > > Many issues were raised during the three days conference and I find the > > session on Transparency and Accountability very interesting and > > challenging.For that reason i decieded to get a summary of the session >and i > > hope that we will be able to explore the issue further. > > > > The Struggle Continues!!! > > Ndey Jobarteh > > > > TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. > > > > PRESENTER: GENERAL ISHOLA WILLIAMS (TRANSPARENCY > > INTERNATIONAL, > > NIGERIA) > > > > MODERATOR: MR. SADIKOU AYO ALAO, PRESIDENT (GERDDES AFRIQUE, > > COTONOU, > > BENIN) > > > > COMMENTATOR: LARRY DIAMOND, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW (HOOVER > > INSTITUTION, > > STANFORD, CALIFORNIA) > > > > RAPPORTEUR: MRS. BINTA MANSARAY ( CAMPAIGN FOR GOOD > > GOVERNANCE, SIERRA > > LEONE) > > > > The moderator introduced the subject of the panel. He set the tone for >the > > ensuing discussion by saying that the problem of > > Transparency and Accountability is that of bad governance. He also >mentioned > > that to promote Good Governance, one must fight against corruption and >there > > should be a separation of powers as well as co-operation among the >branches of > > government. > > > > General Williams focused his presentation on corruption . In his view >the > > elites in society are the corrupt social class because they have the > > political and economic access and opportunity to be corrupt. He >described > > four categories of elites like - 'The Mafia', 'Fragmented Patronage', > > 'Elite Hegemony' and 'Group Interest Bidding', all of whom use the power >of > > their ill-gotten wealth for influence peddling, making and breaking >leaders as > > and when it is convenient and holding the democratic system to ransom. > > > > According to the presenter, the rural people and the Grassroots who are >so > > far removed from the elites are not corrupt because they lack the >economic and > > political access to be so, and they don't even understand the workings >of the > > political game. Dr. Larry Diamond supported the notion that there is a > > psychological, social, economic and political gap between the governed >and the > > leaders. He however pointed out that corruption is not a monopoly of the > > elites, arguing also that it cuts across social classes as there is >corruption > > at the very top and at the grassroots level. His argument was buttressed >by > > most participants in the audience. It was also noted that as wealth >corrupts > > the elite, so the lack of it corrupts the poor. There was a general >feeling > > during the discussion that corruption is endemic in African societies >even > > though it is a universal problem. > > > > THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION : > > > > Corruption as a pervasive evil practice has its attendant effects. >During the > > discussion the following effects were highlighted: > > A. The Rich and Powerful minority deny the poor and powerless majority > > equal access to national wealth and the exercise of political power. > > B. It exacerbates poverty and inequality > > C. It impoverishes states - a reference was made to the keynote > > speaker's > > (Ms. > > Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) address in which she mentioned that the private > > capital of Africans abroad is worth one hundred and fifty billion US >dollars > > which is a substantial drain on the African economy. The late President >Abacha > > of Nigeria and President Mobutu of Zaire were mentioned as some of the >most > > corrupt leaders who embezzled their countries resources. The audience >wanted > > to know how the International community and the banks can help African >states > > recover embezzled money - this question was not answered by the >panellists. > > > > HOW TO CONTROL CORRUPTION: > > > > A. Decentralisation was mentioned as a means of controlling >corruption. The > > panelists felt that if government is brought close to the people and >they > > ultimately take control of their resources, the level of corruption will >be > > minimized. > > B. Political system reform - candidates must present their plans for >their > > communities to the electorate before elections so that they will be >elected on > > merits. > > C. The presenter and the commentator disagreed sharply on where to >start to > > control corruption. The presenter thought that corruption must be >controlled > > from the bottom, meaning community levels to the national level, meaning >top > > level of government. The commentator felt that one must start at the >highest > > level of government to fight corruption and it will flow downwards. > > D. Asset Declaration - It was suggested that high level elected >officials, > > civil servants and political appointees must declare their assets before >and > > every year thereafter. High-level officials should make these >declarations > > public, with an empowered anti-corruption commission and Judiciary to > > investigate and prosecute any fraudulent misrepresentation of assets. > > > > CONCLUSION: > > It is interesting to note that during the discussion, what came out in >a > > compelling way was the pervasiveness of corruption, its causes, >effects > > and ways of combating it. Except for a brief mention of asset >declaration, > > Transparency and Accountability were not explored as the main issues of >the > > panel. No mention was made of how Transparency and Accountability could >be > > instruments for deterring corruption, promoting democracy and foster >good > > governance. In other words, what was not established was the fact that > > Transparency and Accountability of the political, economic and >administrative > > activities of elected officials and democratic institutions to the > > electorate are imperatives for ensuring Good Governance. Furthermore, > > Transparency and Accountability in the civil society organisations and > > non-governmental organisations are necessary for the moral authority to >deal > > with the lack of it in government. > > > > For any further information regarding this conference or WADNET please >contact > > the Centre for Democracy and Development > > 12 Leathermarket > > Weston Street > > London SE1 3ER > > UK > > Tel: 0171 407 0772 > > Fax: 0171 407 0773 > > Email:[log in to unmask] > > Website:http:/www.cdd.org.uk > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at >http://webmail.netscape.com. > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L > > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------