The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, has reiterated the rational behind the recent ranking of the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International.
According to its Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, the index is not an indictment of the government’s activities aimed at curbing self-aggrandisement.
In his words, Transparency International is not assessing the work of EFCC, Code of Conduct and the ICPC, it is not also assessing the anti-corruption work of the Nigerian government, whether it’s doing bad or it’s doing good.
Rafsanjani, a human rights activist said the Corruption Perception Index focuses on public perception on corruption.
According to the ranking released this week, Nigeria fell four places from 154 out of 180 countries and territories. Although the country maintained its previous score of 24 out of 100 points in 2022, it fell to 150.
But in reaction, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, was dismissive of the ranking, saying the Federal Government’s fight against corruption was not done to impress Transparency International or any other organisation.
Rafsanjani noted that the ranking accounts for the level of bribery, diversion of public funds, use of public office for private gains, nepotism in the civil service, and looks at the state capital.
According to Rafsanjani who is head of Transparency International Nigeria, equally it looks at the Nigerian government’s efforts in terms of imposition of integrity mechanisms.
He said it is also looking at the effective prosecution of political exposed persons, it also looks at the existing or an inadequate legal framework of the fight against corruption. So, it is important that we first understand that.