Transcript Document

A NATIONAL INTEGRITY
SYSTEM POLICIES FOR THE
PUBLIC SERVICE
Olabisi A. Dare
Senior Political/Humanitarian Affairs Officer
AU Liaison Office in Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia.
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VISION STATEMENT
In view of the public servant’s role and
influence, they are expected to be
persons of high moral character and
integrity. Furthermore, the public
servant is expected to be law-abiding
and committed person who shows
proper care for public assets, behaves
ethically and discharges his/her duties
and responsibility efficiently and
effectively with decency and dignity.
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GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
•
To create a preventive mechanism against
misconduct by public servants;
•
Make corruption a high risk and low return
undertaking from the very beginning by
preventing it in the first place;
•
To create a well-motivated service that does not
operate in fear and apprehension;
•
To set out standard of behaviour and conduct by
public servants;
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•
To
ensure
impartiality,
objectivity,
transparency,
integrity,
efficiency
and
effectiveness of public servants and public
institutions in the performance of their duties
and mandate;
•
A public service that is both efficient and
effective,
and
which
contributes
to
sustainable development;
•
To produce a government functioning under
the law, with citizens protected from
arbitrariness (including abuses of human
rights ); and
•
Development strategies which yield benefits
to the nation as a whole, including its poorest
and most vulnerable.
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CURRENT SITUATION
•
Politicization of the public service;
•
Patronage in recruitment and promotion;
•
Ineffective and inefficient service delivery;
•
Abuse of discretion;
•
Low remuneration;
•
Indifference in work attitude;
•
Incompetent performance;
•
Low Morale;
•
Inefficient Civil Service; and
•
Enhanced opportunity for corruption.5
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SOME MEASURES AIMED AT
PREVENTING CORRUPTION IN
PUBLIC SERVICE
 Need to establish principles of good conduct to be
followed by public servants. These principles are
universally accepted and include the following –
•
Selflessness –Decision to be taken solely in public
interest;
•
Integrity – Not to be under obligation, financial or
otherwise, likely to impair performance of duties;
•
Diligence – Application of efforts to performance of duties;
•
Objectivity – Justice and fairness in all matters including
appointments, promotions, award of contracts or
recommending individuals for rewards6and benefits;
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•
Accountability- A public servant should be personally
responsible for his/her act;
•
Openness (Transparency) – Access to information
leading to decision making, once it does not
compromise larger public interest, must be readily
shared with the public;
•
Honesty – Declaration of private interest relating to
duties performed, must be disclosed truthfully and
faithfully;
•
Non-discrimination – Display for human dignity and
human rights of all persons, irrespective of race, sex
sexual orientation, marital status religion, etc;
•
Discipline – Strict adherence to the civil service rules
and regulation;
•
Loyalty – Public servants must be faithful to the
people and governments they serve;
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•
Confidentiality – Public servants should not
divulge confidential information obtained in
the course of his work to unauthorized person;
•
Leadership – A public servant should be a role
model to others;
•
Professionalism – Public servants should
adhere to the professional code of conduct at
all times.
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
Awareness
of
responsibilities :
Constitutional
and
Civic
•
Responsibility to the State and public service;
•
Respect for laws of the State;
•
Maintaining dignity of public service;
•
Support for the vulnerable groups and the physically
challenged;
•
Influence of official action for undue advantage;
•
Care for State properties including protection from
damages, respect for procedures, particularly,
procurement;
•
Public servants should not represent or serve as an
agent of foreign government.
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OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION AND RELEASE OF
CLASSIFIED MATERIALS.
•
Public servants should use sensitive and confidential
information in their possession or likely to be in their
possession only in the performance of official duties.
•
Such information should not be used in ways inconsistent
with obligation to act impartially.
•
It should not be used to cause harm or be detrimental to
any person or body or the public service.
•
It should not be used to gain improper advantage for
himself or for any other.
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
•
•
USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, PROPERTIES
AND FACILITIES.
Government facilities are to be used for official
purposes only.
Public resources entrusted to public servants
for the performance of their duties are to be
utilized judiciously and in accordance with
budgetary
appropriations
and
financial
regulations.
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
GIFTS, BRIBES AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
•
Public servant should not receive or encourage the giving of
bribe in the course of his duties.
•
Public servants should not receive any bribe or casual gifts from
commercial firms, business enterprises, institutions whether
private or public or persons who have submitted bids for
contracts, or intends to bid for contract before the employer of
the public servant or the government.
•
Any token gift must be declared within a reasonable period of
time.
•
A report of any circumstance where a benefit or gift was offered
should be made to superior authority, regardless of whether it
was accepted or not.
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•
report of any circumstance where a benefit or gift was
offered should be made to superior authority, regardless of
whether it was accepted or not.
•
Gifts other than casual or token gifts can be accepted from
foreign governments, international organizations or quasi
governmental organizations closely affiliated or funded by
government provided prompt declaration of such gifts are
made to superior authority, who will decide whether to retain
the gift or surrender it to government.
•
Public servant should not use his position to pursue other
interest that may result in conflict of interest.
•
Where a public servant has direct or indirect personal
interest in a matter being examined, he shall inform the
authorities and recuse himself before deliberations are held
and a vote or decisions is taken.
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
SANCTIONS.
IN
THE EVENT THAT ANY PUBLIC SERVANT VIOLATES THIS
PREVENTIVE MEASURES AIMED AT SAFEDGUARDING THE
INTEGRITY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE FROM CORRUPTION AND
CORRUPT PRACTICES; AND DEPENDING ON THE GRAVITY OF
SUCH VIOLATION OR MISCONDUCT, ONE OR MORE OF THE
FOLLOWING PENALTIES SHOULD APPLY :
•
Dismissal
•
Removal from office in public interest
•
Reprimand
•
Fine or making good of the loss or damage of public
property/assets
•
Seizure and forfeiture to the State of any property acquired from
abuse of office
•
Demotion.
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RECOMMENDATIONS

DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTERESTS,
ASSETS AND PERFORMANCE/FINANCIAL
BONDS:
•
Public Servants involved in making decisions
affecting contracting, tendering or procurement,
and issuing of licenses of various types should
sign performance or financial bond and in addition
declare all incomes, assets and liabilities prior to
taking office and thereafter.
•
Such declaration should be lodged with the
relevant national authority responsible for the
function of the Ombudsman.
•
Every public servant should further declare and
affirm that the declaration is accurate and to the
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best of his knowledge.

ADMINISTRATIVE/LEGISLATIVE
MEASURES TO SUPPORT NATIONAL
INTEGRITY POLICIES.
•
Enact and enforce civil service legislation and rules to
govern employment, promotion and retirement.
•
Enforce civil service rules and provide redress mechanism
for violation thereof.
•
Review and improve civil service retirement and
compensation scheme.
•
Conduct periodic salary evaluation and provide for cost of
living adjustment.
•
Develop competitive conditions of service for the civil
servants.
•
Establish an independent Anti-Corruption Commission.
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