THE EFFECT OF CORRUPTION ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

Corruption is a major problem in Nigeria today, it has been identified globally as an ugly problem that is posing a great challenge to national development. Corruption has become the bane of Nigeria government and polities. World Bank studies, states that corruption account for up to 16% of the GDP of Nigeria (Nwabuson 2006).

In order to reduce this menace to the barest minimum, several policies have been designed by Nigerian government and government all over the world. Despite these efforts corrupt is still very visible among different societies in the world but the proportion varies according to the countries. While European and American policies on corruption reduction are yielding the target Shara Africa where the incidence of corruption is on increase.

Corruption in Nigeria calls for special study if we must achieve the organization objectives. This research work reviews the fact that Nigeria, with high level of corruption will find it difficult to achieve the organization objective in 202020. Because it appears that Nigeria is stuck in various circles of widespread corruption and low economic growth and the implication of this is that, many reform policies such as seven (7) Point Agenda, National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), vision 202020. Youth empowerment programme etc are not likely to achieved if corruption is not properly tackled. There are several ways in which corruption has hindered economic development, it reduces domestic investment. It reduces foreign direct investment. Over blow of government expenditure, distorted composition of government expenditure away from education, health and maintenance of infrastructural facilities etc.

According to need draft document (2004) and Obayelu (2007), corruption manifest in Nigeria as a result of abuse of positions and priviledges, low level of transparency and accountability, inflation of contracts, bribery, kickback, misappropriation and diversions of funds false declaration, advance fee fraud collection if illegal tools, illicit smuggling of drugs and human trafficking, child labour foreign exchange.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

The problems of corruption are as follows:

Poor Leadership:

Leadership is the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the organization (House, et’al in Sadana and Shanima (2006) if leadership also means ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically.

Political Factor:

Political factor is the biggest problem of corruption in Nigeria, it is not easy that all politician are corrupt. It is also not to say that there is no corruption among our politicians or political class.

High Expectation Of The People:

High expectation of the people also cal for corruption in Nigeria. People want to achieve all their heart desires within a short period of time.

Social Environment:

Social environment also influence corruption. The environment people came from determines ones orientation. For instance, if one comes from the primodial environment where money is being seen as an ultimate or an end itself, such person would be highly prone to corruption.

Inefficient Judicial System:

Also account for the problem of corruption in Nigeria. This is peculiar to lower courts. Lower courts are not free from corruption, simply because of the procedures in handling cases. However, if one comes from where money on material are not being recognized on not being seen as yardstick for achievement.

Poverty:

Poverty is another contributing factor to corruption in Nigeria. According to Miquel suggestion in Chuta (2004), to fight corruption effectively, the poverty level prevalent in the country must also be significantly reduced. Poverty play a role in the sense, that it facilitates the creation of conditions for corruption. It was also said in some questions that low wages and salaries provide the conditions that live certain people to seek shady and illegal means to augment their income in order to meet certain needs.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

The basic objectives of this study is to examine the effect of corruption on the achievement of organizational objective in Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture as a case study.

Other specific objectives are as follows:

1. To determine the importance of agriculture to the achievement of organizational objectives in Kogi State.
2. To examine the possible ways of curbing corruption in Kogi State and in the ministry of agriculture to achieve organizational objective by 2015
3. To identify the problems of corruption on the organization.
4. To identify the possible solution for effective organizational management.
5. To make necessary recommendations for improvement.

1.4 Scope And Limitations Of The Study

Corruption on the achievement of organizational objectives in Kogi State while the case study is Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture.

This research shall cover areas like:

1. The concept of organizational objective and how it relates to agriculture.
2. The need for organization in Kogi State.
3. The nature and causes of corruption in Kogi State.The consequences and solution to corruption in Kogi State.

Limitations

Though, the importance of this research work can not be over emphasized but in trying to research this topic, the researcher was faced with some constraints which serve as as limitation to the study, some of the limitation are:

1. There was problem of finance
2. Time is another factors that militates against the research findings
3. Another factor is lack of interest on the part of respondents
4. Availability of confidential file

Finance

For the fact that the researcher is a student, she lacks adequate finance in carrying out this research and as we know, no successful research work can see the light of the day without finance, so lack of adequate finance stands as a limitation to this research work.

Time

The set time for the findings of this research work to be out is for the range of 3-5 months which is insufficient for the researcher base on the fact that she has academic work to attend to so, the time set is not enough hence, stand as a limitation to the research work.

Lack Of Interest

Lack of interest on the part of respondents. This has to do with questionnaires sent to them, some of them loose interest in answering these questions that will fasten the work of the researcher so lack of interest stand as a limitation to this research.

Availability Of Confidential File

When you go to some office including Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture, there are some file that are labelled confidential file that cannot be disclosed to anybody except you are concerned and in these file are some relevant information’s that may be useful to this research work.

1.5 Significance Of The Study

Significance and importance can be used interchangeably, so the importance of this study is to benefit the following intended users.

The Kogi State Government:

This research work will help the Kogi State Government to map out strategies to eradicate corruption in order to achieve the organizational objective by 2015

Management and staff of Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture:

This research work will stimulate both management and staffs on how to handle functions of the ministry effectively in order to have robust agriculture in order to achieve the organizational objective by 2015.

Individuals:

This research work will help the general public to know more about the concepts of the organizational objectives and how it relates to agriculture and also it will change their mind set and enlighten them on the objective statements.

The research scholars:

It will assist the research scholars on their finding and also served as a reference material to scholars.

1.6 Research Questions

It is imperative for us in the course of this research work to provide research assumptions which we hope shall provide solution to the identified problems. Some of the questions are as follows:

1. Can the organizational objective serve as an instrument to standardize agricultural sector by 2015?
2. Do you think that the policy of organizational objective can solve the problem of corruption in Kogi State Ministry of agriculture?
3. Do we think that corruption has any negative effect on organization?

1.7 Definition Of Key Concepts

Organization:

An organization consist of people who carry out different tanks which are co-ordinated to contribute to the organizational goals.

Target:

This is the result that the government on individual wants to achieve

Sector:

This is a part of an area needed to solve a particular problem in a countries economy.

Corruption:

According to long man dictionary, corruption is seen as dishonest, illegal or immoral behaviour especially from someone in power.

1.8 Organization Of The Study

This research work is divided into five chapters starting from chapter one to chapter five,

Chapter one deals with the introductory part of the work and which we considered as the most important among the chapters because it is the introduction of the work that motivates the reader to go through the whole work, the chapter one include the background of the study, statements of the problem, objectives of the study, scope and limitations of the study, significance of the study, statement of the research questions, definition of key concepts and organization of the work.

Chapter two deals with the review of literature which also include review of related literature, organizational objectives, the concepts of corruption in Nigeria, nature and causes of corruption, consequences of corruption, on the organizational objectives in Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture and the negative effect of corruption in Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture.

Chapter three of the work handles the area of the research methods log which encompasses or includes research population and sample, research design and approach, method of data collection administration of instrument method of data analysis and problem of methodology.

Chapter four of the work deals with data presentation and analysis which explains data presentation and analysis discussing the findings this stage is the stage which the data collected are analyzed.