Cost Of Corruption: The Case of Abandoned Projects in Nigeria

“A system is corrupt when it is strictly profit-driven, not driven to serve the best interests of its people.” ― Suzy Kassem.
Very fondly over the years, government projects have been abandoned across the country. In fact, TRACKA — a BudgIT project tracking tool estimated the abandoned projects to be over 2,000 projects in the last 10 years while according to a report in 2011 by Project Audit Commission (established by Goodluck Jonathan) reveals that over the period of 1962–2012, a total of 11, 886 abandoned projects are spread across the country worth N15 trillion.
Every year, promises are made but those promises are to bring development to the country if fulfilled via projects. The projects are funded yet abandoned at a certain point, contractors cart away with the money, or money is released to a ghost company who does not have an office or track records of success in that field they claim to be experts. These abandoned projects have major effects on the economy, especially abandoned projects due to embezzlements which could also be defined as the cost of corruption.
If a road project with an award contract of N200 million was embezzled, this means that we have enriched the pockets of corrupt contractors (public office holder as the case may be), the damage on the road will lead to time wastage of commuters, the damage could even cause more road accidents, increase chances of robbery, increase deaths for pregnant women who want to access healthcare in neighbouring communities etc. The cost of this act of corruption is high.
Another instance, if a school project with an award contract of N50 million was mismanaged, it has a ripple effect on the country at large. Automatically, there is an increase in the number of out of children in the country — increased the number of illiterates, increased the number of miscreants — political thugs, reduced the number of employable citizens — skilled workers, above all the right to education has been infringed upon.
Corruption breeds destruction and underdevelopment. No nation will survive under corruption as the wealth is distributed illegally within certain cabals which would ultimately destroy the nation. Nigeria borrows money to pay salaries and implement projects, the debt profile of the country is high (N24 trillion as at June 2019) and the worst case is that the borrowed money is embezzled.
The solution lies with citizens to monitor projects that have been budgeted and funded because the responsibility is a collective one — from the legislators to the man on the street, from the government in releasing procurement information to the contractor implementing the project in communities.
Imagine the impacts of the 11,886 projects if they were fully completed in the country, whether it is Ajaokuta steel mill or Rivers Monorail project even a 2 block of classroom in a rural village. Nigeria would be better if the money borrowed is not looted.
