Corruption and Governance Measurement - How?

Corruption is as old as the world. Corruption did not start today as history indicated by throwing light on how corruption was prevalent in many developed countries especially in Britain and America. Imagine the centuries of corruption yet there is no end in sight of this malaise which has impoverished several developing countries. As a student of corruption, I came to terms with the types of corruption which existed in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, comparing then with now, trying to know whether there has been any significant changes in fighting corruption globally but not to my knowledge. Here and there, there are still lots of government institutions, bilateral and mutilateral organisations, NGOs, just name them, involved in fighting corruption, but researches, but they are more interested coining their names and objectives than fighting corruption.

Fighting corruption has been the most difficult like measuring corruption and governance. Many researchers and anti-corruption agencies have claimed a break through to both. Judging from the occurrences of corruption and bad governance, can researchers and institutions claim that there has been a significate level of improvement in fighting corruption? There is no doubt that an awareness has been created over the years about corruption and bad governance but the rate of corruption and bad governance have escalated over the years in review.

The Transparency International annual Corruption Perception Index/Bribe Payers Index are merely measuring corruption on the surface. The standards used for measuring corruption are at variance with several country factors. For instance, if Norway scores 9.5 out of 10 points and is placed on number one spot, why must other developing countries be measured under the same condition with Norway? Is it not yet time to develop an index which will be holistic and country-based? This would be able to at least measure the developing countries differently, according to the level of their development and other elements used presently to measure corruption and good governance.

As far as the developed countries are using the same measurement tools to measure the developing countries, there will always be flaws and counter flaws. The world talks so much about democracy in governance, but there are several democratic governments who are undemocratic. What the developed world wants is for democracy to reign supreme and be a symbol in all countries in the world. If I may ask how did the developed countries become developed? It was really a gradual process. Was it over night or did it not ran into centuries by ascendance of levels of development? Many developing countries have been coerced by foreign conditionality which makes it difficult for them to advance from point A to B, as the case may be.

Also, what is happening in governance has a strong link to corruption and poverty in the developing countries. The link is so strong that most developing nations always depend on the developed countries for monetary aid. This has its conditionality which often puts most developing countries in several years of debt. How can corruption and poverty be reduced in most developing countries? Is this not impossible? It is because one side is feeding and depending on the other. For example, all the billions of U.S dollars looted by most developing countries leaders still find their ways to many developed countries Banks. This does not end there as most of the looted funds are used in setting up properties and industries in those countries.

What is presently happening in the developing countries are encouraged and aided by the developed countries. Until what is now a habit is curtailed drastically, the question will still be asked if there is any hope for those developing nations where there is no good government, corruption is rife and the percentage of poverty is sky-rocketing daily? The developing countries need to take their fate into their own hands as President Obama pointed out during his visit to Africa. It is good for them to 'make hay while the sun shines' Africa and the other developing countries need all opportunities available now to develop and become advanced and industrialized like other Western nations. The challenges of Millennium Development Goal is starring them on the face.