Does this have anything to do with their public procurement practices?
Despite multiple institutional reforms promising change, there seems to be little success in public procurement outcomes because this is one of the key avenues where many seek to get their cut of the national cake.
The situation is made even more complex because of the lack of transparency on one hand, and endless impunity for those who commit financial crimes through backroom deals.
This trickles down all the way to the bottom in a chain of corrupt and fraudulent practices- causing financial losses to states across Africa. We know this because barely a day goes by without a newspaper reporting on inflated prices cooked up by crooks.
How do we go forward from here since we know why public financial management reforms hardly change anything?
It is in the mind of the people and it has a history. A socio-psychological approach along with digitization and strengthened legal system where the judiciary is granted total independence from political influence will help save billions.
Thank you for your insightful contribution, Dr. Frederick Ahen.
To me, I feel this problem is associated with weak control systems in public expenditure, particularly public procurement in Africa. Opposition governments offer excellent solutions. However, the story changes when they are given power to fix the problems. I would blame the weak control systems on our collectivist cultural values (refusing to blow the whistle, gift giving, etc.). This creates a more informal relationship among public officials and with clients (bidders) - creating a compromised procurement process.
Your recommendations for addressing this challenge are much appreciated!
We have to appreciate non-ergodic policy spaces. Cf. Article Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) on Moulding State Structur...
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