The Dire Consequences of Rampant Corruption and Mismanagement of National Resources in South Sudan
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From rags to riches: the amazing transition of the South Sudanese Minister
By Tito Tong, Juba, South Sudan
Thursday, 28 July 2022 (PW) — The consequences of corruption are generally disastrous, both for the economy as a whole and for the citizens. The “pain” caused by corruption at the village level has been best described by more than a million villagers in South Sudan.
A nice story to listen to at the hospital, a man had taken his pregnant wife to the hospital to deliver their baby. He did not have the money demanded by the hospital. While he searched for money, the hospital workers let his pregnant wife die. At the police station, if a man is arrested, the policemen leave him to go. One man was beaten by a thief. On the way, the commissioner got the thief and took him to the police.
The case was dismissed after the father of the boy paid the magistrate some money. Police bosses expect their subordinates to give them money, and the subordinates are forced into corruption to satisfy their bosses. In turn, the bosses do not inspect or supervise. In courts, people who have money are usually set free and the poor remain for long in jail.
A person pays a lot of money. A rival paid thousands of pounds, but their case was not settled. When they realized they were wasting a lot of money, they had to reach a compromise to avoid further waste. How can we safely report corruption? The communities should learn to report cases of corruption. But to whom? And are we safe? Is the community willing to report corrupt service workers but they do not know the offices in their area?
Corrupt behaviour, such as bribery, also produces external costs in the form of “added taxes,” which are mainly shouldered by the national economy. This, particularly in developing countries, undermines the efficient allocation of badly needed financial resources for economic development and is altering the composition of public expenditure. Within the context of international trade, corruption particularly in the form of bribery serves as a barrier to trade and investment.
As a result, a corrupt environment may present South Sudan investors with a poor environment in which to place their capital. Those investors most likely to make a long-term contribution to development may therefore be discouraged, while those who seek quick profits through dubious ventures may instead be encouraged. This in turn increases the harmful effects of corruption on South Sudan’s economy, which has been mounting.
It has been shown that countries suffering from pervasive corruption invest less and achieve lower economic growth. A corrupt country is likely to achieve aggregate investment levels of almost a low per cent less than a country relatively free of corruption and to lose about half a percentage point of gross domestic product growth per year.
Corruption in both the public and private sector, regardless of the level at which it occurs, can jeopardize free trade, distort competitiveness, and undermine the stability upon which the free-market system is based. Companies may resort to bribery as a means of bypassing existing trade barriers or reducing national tariffs and expediting international trade.
In South Sudan, many of companies have taken their side with some government officials to bribe them with millions of dollars.
Such action, however, undermines the position of the state, reducing government revenue and violating important environmental and safety standards, among other things. Widespread corruption jeopardizes the credibility of governments and their institutions. As a result, a negative culture arises in which priority is given to individual success and short-term achievements.
In inclusion, as South Sudan has been ranked in the first position as the most corrupt country in the world, while systemic corruption also weakens the effectiveness of punishment tools, it is hard to punish one person severely when so many others are likely to be equally guilty.
Within such an environment, organized crime is likely to grow and infiltrate high-level public administration offices. In the worst scenario, public order may break down, as occurred civil war has exploded in the country of South Sudan.
The author, Tito Tong John, holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, and is presently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in the specialization of Human Resources at the same academic institution. You can reach him through his email: tongkhamisa446@gmail.com; phone: +211920908051, +211912785339; WhatsApp or Skype: tong.khamisa.
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