By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

In a bid to improve ethics and accountability within the public service sector, a Civil Society Organization (CSO), Accountability Lab Nigeria, ALN, has advocated for the harmonization of a comprehensive Code of Conduct and National Ethics and Integrity Policy, NEIP, for public servants.

This move, according to them, is aimed at promoting transparency, integrity, and trustworthiness among those entrusted with public responsibilities.

Speaking during a press briefing held in Abuja, on Wednesday, its Country Director, Odeh Friday Odeh, firmly believes that a unified Code of Conduct will help establish a common standard for ethical behavior and curb corruption and enhance public trust.

He said: “The need for proper ethical standards and behaviour in business and government transactions remains a significant obstacle to Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable development. Ethical governance is pivotal for addressing this issue and enhancing public trust.

“This policy brief presents a strategic perspective on strengthening ethics and integrity in Nigeria by harmonizing the Nigerian Code of Conduct for Public Servants and the National Ethics and Integrity Policy. These policies play crucial roles in shaping the conduct of both public officials and citizens.

“By leveraging the strengths of both policies, Nigeria can create an environment that promotes accountability, integrity, and responsible leadership. This brief emphasizes the complementary nature of these policies, identifies areas for improvement, and proposes a forward-looking approach to their seamless integration to enhance public confidence.

“Nigeria’s governance is marred by a crisis that undermines ethical values, positive behaviours. and societal norms essential for effective functioning. Many politicians and public officials in Nigeria lack ethical and moral standards, engaging in practices such as abuse of office, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and misuse of government information.

“The 2022 Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranks Nigeria 30th out of 54 African countries. Widespread lack of accountability, unethical behaviour, and corruption have normalized, reflecting a crisis of ethics in public services. The Global Corruption Barometer highlights that 43% of Nigerians perceive increased corruption over the past year.

“The erosion of trust in governance can be attributed to the absence of accountability and ethical conduct. Digging deeper, it’s clear that existing policies need to address the behavioural and societal factors driving this crisis.

“Nigeria’s Index of Public Integrity and Transparency reveals scores of 4.05 out of 10 for integrity and 12.5 out of 20 for transparency, exposing the need to tackle corruption’s roots in poor ethical behaviour and societal norms.

“Enforcing ethical standards in government is vital for preventing waste and abuse and prioritizing public interest over private interest. However, fragmented policies and disjointed implementation often undermine efforts, such as the need for more general knowledge of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy and the poor adherence of public servants to the code of conduct.

“This gap leads to inefficiencies in addressing ethical governance, including when high-ranking government officials are above these policies. While the Code of Conduct for Public Servants outlines ethical standards, the National Ethics and Integrity Policy focuses on values, causing enforcement challenges, Synchronizing these policies and collaborating among government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector in implementing ethical practices are not only opportunities but moral imperatives.

“This is a chance to reshape Nigeria’s narrative, fostering integrity, accountability, and responsible governance to benefit citizens and the nation’s global image.”