Consolidating Nigerian Democracy: Time to Enhance Ethics and Accountability Systems of the State Bureaucratic Institutions
Ayo Adesopo

Abstract
The consensus of opinion is that bureaucracy is a critical element in a democratic government as it constitutes a special structure and institution dictating the very capacity of the state in carrying out its policies. One of the most intimidating problems facing democratic governance in contemporary Nigeria is the inability of the bureaucratic structure to give adequate support due to poor ethics and accountability systems. This paper set out to establish a public accountability scheme, popularly known as “Integrity System” (IS), to change/strengthen the public service system rather than apportioning blames. Our discussion of the proposed scheme was in two folds. The first covered ethics and accountability from the side of structure/systems, processes and practices emphasizing the need for efficient running of government by putting in place structures and developing systems and processes in order to guide operators of the system, ensure strict compliance with them, and able to predict actions and curtail the culture of impunity and arbitrariness in government. The second covered the demand side of accountability which is how to complement the enforcement efforts of the actors within the formal structure of government especially by recognizing the growing role of the civil society/Non-governmental “watch-dog” organizations in fostering integrity, accountability and transparency in public services.

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