Cote d'Ivoire How Corrupt Are We?

			HOME 	
			ARTICLES 				
			LIST NOW FOR FREE! 
			ABOUT US 
			CONTACT US 
			LOG IN			
		

How Corrupt Are We?
African countries are fighting hard to claim the top spot in the world as far as corruption is concerned. The latest Global Corruption Report (2005) from Transparency International, the organization t

Go to Web Site

African countries are fighting hard to claim the top spot in the world as far as corruption is concerned. The latest Global Corruption Report (2005) from Transparency International, the organization that monitors corruption throughout the world shows that African countries claimed eight spot in the top 20 of the most corrupt countries in the world.

In descending order, they are Nigeria, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Kenya, Cameroon, Sudan, and Niger. Nigeria was only beat by Haiti and Bangladesh for the first place. What a shame?
This news made me remember another one that one of my grad school professors used to tell us that I would like to share with you.

Two students, one of from a Southeast Asian country and another from Africa both came to the U.S. to study applied economics. The student from Asian first completed his degree and went back home where he got appointed Minister of Public Work.

A year later, he invited his friend from Africa who was taking longer to complete his Ph.D. to come over for a visit. The African flew to Asia and was welcomed in a 15-rooms mansion, with a huge garage containing a dozen of cars. Shocked, the African asked his friend where he got all the money to purchase that type of property. The Asian guy took him to his backyard and pointed to a highway not far away. “Can you see that highway over there?” He said. The African responded: “yeah!” The Asian continued: “10 Percent!” This meant that he was given ten percent of the total cost of the contract.

A few months later, the African graduated and went home, and was subsequently appointed Minister. A year after graduation, he decided to invite his Asian friend over so that he can impress him. The Asian friend was received in a castle he thought was a guest house. He then asked his host: “So, how are you doing my friend?” “Very good!” The African replied. “Don’t you see all this?” The Asian then asked: “You mean you own all this?” In addition to the 50-rooms castle, the property had a garage containing so many cars that you would think you were at a car dealership. The African replied:” Yes!” The Asian then proceeded to ask. How did you do? You graduated just a year ago.” The African took him to a nearby block and pointed to a tiny road. “Can you see that highway?” He asked. “What highway, I see a road.” The Asian replied. “Huh…Yes, that road!” The African continued. Then The Asian asked: “What about it?” After a little hesitation, the African Said: “60 percent!” You do the math…

Some would say we are corrupted because someone else lead us to. There is no corruptee without a corrupter. In order to rid ourselves of the corruption genes, we should learn to identify where the problem come from. there is a line of thought that believe multinationals are at the root of the corruption problem in Africa. Should we then rid ourselves of all multinationals? Maybe we should fight the temptation of letting ourselves get corrupted. But that is easier said than done. We must however do something about it!