SteemAlive Presents: ProWritersHub (W5)||Bribery and Corruption

Bribery and Corruption has been as old as man. It is worrisome that the rate at which they are perpetrated is increasing over the years. Lets look at the two terms critically.

Bribery and Corruption

Bribery is the act of using money or other incentives to influence the decision of an officer or another. This involves trying to obtain favour by offering money or other valuables in exchange. Bribery exist in almost every area of life and a lot of persons are involved in it.

Corruption is the practice of using dishonest means by an officer to acquire wealth or intimidate another. Bribery is an example of corruption, because it involves accepting money just to pass a wrong judgement.

Why is it common?

Bribery and Corruption is common for a lot reasons:

•Avarice:
One of the reasons is avarice-this is the love for money and wealth. Because people love money and wealth so much, they are willing to engage in activities that are tantamount to bribery and corruption.

•Discontentment:
Some people are never satisfied with whatever they have. Even when they are living in affluence, they are still not contented and so will like to involve in bribery and corruption so as to make more money and wealth through illicit means.

•Wickedness:
Some government officials out of wickedness for a particular tribe, religion or individual can decide to deny them their rights or things that are due to them. For example, money meant to be given to a particular person or region could be diverted to another place because the officer in charge does not like those people. That's sheer wickedness.

Explain how bribery and corruption happens in your city, state or country

Bribery and Corruption can happen in different ways and forms. Let's take a look at some of them.

Nepotism- is one way that corruption can take place. In this method, employment opportunity and appointment are given to family members and friends of the government officials leaving the other people in the lurch even when they are qualified for the positions.

Collecting money-There are cases where security agents that are supposed to check illegal materials in vehicles are bent on collecting money from the drivers without checking if they are having illegal materials in their vehicle.

Academic corruption- In the educational sector, some candidates who score high in entrance exams are denied admission while some people that didn't perform well are offered admission because they bribed the officials of the admission department of the university/institution.

Bribery and corruption can also happen in form of scam, stealing public funds, accepting kick-backs for contracts and other means.

Why is it wrong for public office holders to get involved in bribery and corruption

It is very wrong for public office holders to engage in corruption because they are people that the masses are looking up to, if they are involved in such act, it would affect the masses negatively. It would also make the younger generation to see bribery and corruption as a way of life.

Bribery and Corruption will lead to a situation where unqualified people are offered employment and contracts. A situation that can lead to bad blood or unrest in the society especially when the masses cannot continue to endure such act of injustice and perfidy.

What should be done to public office holders that get involved in bribery and corruption?

My response here is very simple and direct. Any public officer holder involved in bribery and corruption should be made to face the full weight of the law. By so doing, others who are nursing the plan of engaging in such at would desist from it.

Bribery and Corruption is the reason why many countries are not moving forward. Public funds and stolen and siphoned to other countries or secret accounts, leaving the economy of the country in shambles.