CORRUPT PRACTICES IN DELIVERY OF PUBLIC PROJECTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE

Purpose: One major hindrance to national development in the developing countries is the cancer of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the entire society. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the nature of the prevailing corrupt practices and its effects on public projects delivery. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive and survey research method was used to evaluate the perception of respondents involved in delivery of public projects to evaluate the nature and the causal factors of corrupt practices on public projects. Purposive random sampling technique was used to determine the sample size. A total of 60 well-structured questionnaires were distributed and data obtained were analysed using descriptive, mean score and Kruskal-Walis tests. Findings: The opinion of contractors, procurement officers and enlightened citizens (within project domain) who are deemed to be stakeholders in public project procurement in Akwa Ibom state revealed the nature of corrupt practices prevailing in the study area. The finding of the study reveals that inflation of contract sum by procurement officers, abandonment of project by contractors, certification of substandard work by the consultants and non-implementation of contract according to specification are the nature of corrupt practices prevailing in the study area. Also, the factors of god-fatherism and settlement, public project as political settlement were considered responsible for causing corruption in procurement of public projects. Research limitations/implications: This study focused on the corrupt practices prevalent in the delivery of public projects in the study area. One major limitation is the sample size as it was restricted to the opinion of 48 respondents who returned their questionnaire. The result of this finding is based on the peculiarity of the study area and hence may not be generalised. The contribution to knowledge is that this study reveals the nature and extent of corrupt practices in procurement of public projects. Practical implications: Corruption and corrupt practices in the society is as old as creation herself, therefore require change in our national orientation and value system. Until our value system deviate from practice of god-fatherism/settlement in our political system, the spate of infrastructural deficit which is currently being experienced shall continue. Originality/value: The study x-rayed and established the nature of corruption/corrupt practices prevalent in delivery of public projects only in Akwa Ibom state.