NISER receives grant to investigate approaches for reducing corruption in Nigeria’s public sector
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The MacArthur Foundation has awarded a research grant to the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) to empirically investigate the various definitional and social dimensions of corrupt behavior.
Director-General of NISER, Prof Antonia Simbine, who spoke at the weekend said the purpose of the grant was to institutionalise behavioural change approaches for reducing corruption in Nigeria’s public sector.
She noted that the evidence that emerges from this research effort will form the basis for behavioural Solutions Design in Nigeria’s public sector.
Concurrent and iterative work streams on the project include: Research and Capacity Building, Behavioural Solutions Design, Institutionalization of Knowledge, Documentation, Communication and Dissemination.
NISER’s ABC series is a knowledge engagement platform established for encouraging debates and convening ideas which will enable the transition from behaviour change theory to practice.
The series commences with a webinar at the weekend on the theme ‘Understanding and Analysing Behaviour’.
Simbine said the agency is championing the cause for a paradigm shift in curbing corrupt practices in the public sector from a traditional approach to a behavioral and attitudinal approach
During the webinar organized for the staff of the agency and development partners held in Ibadan, Oyo State, she noted that the agency has been working assiduously to institutionalize behaviour change approaches in reducing corruption in Nigeria’s public sector.
She said that the agency would not relent in its quest to put a stop to corrupt practices in the public sector and emphasized that all hands must be on the deck to create awareness against practices in the public sector.
Simbine also pointed out that a knowledge engagement platform is established for encouraging debates and convening ideas which will enable the transition from behaviour change theory to practice.
She said that one of the objectives of the seminar is to explore the complexity-based map of the phenomenal of corruption in Nigeria and redesigned innovative interventions based on localized understanding, attitudes and behavior for the control of corruption.
Speakers at the seminar noted that the traditional approaches to curbing the menace of corruption have registered a very low success, noting the behavioural and attitudinal solutions would go a long way in putting an end to the practice
They are optimistic that upon completion of engagement with critical stakeholders, will go a long way in helping the government in the current economic down as well as reducing wastage and looting in the public sector
Presenters at the seminar include Dr Tosin Ilevbare, Dr Femi Famakinde and Dr Wale Fawehinmi. While the Panel sessions featured Prof Peter Olapegba, a Professor of Social Psychology, University of Ibadan, Dr Oyeyemi Bukola Babalola, Department of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Dr. Jubril Abdulmalik, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
