The global corruption watchdog,
Transparency International, has ranked
Nigeria as the 39th most corrupt nation
in the world.
According to the Corruption Perception
Index 2014 released on Wednesday,
Nigeria scored 27 out of a maximum 100
marks to clinch the 136th position out of
the 175 countries surveyed for the
report.
Nigeria appeared to have improved by
eight points against its 2013 rating of
144th of 175 countries last year.
It will be recalled that the Transparency
International Corruption Perception
Index ranked Nigeria 35th most corrupt
nation in the world in 2012.
A statement issued by the Transparency
International noted that more than two
thirds of the 175 countries in the 2014
Corruption Perceptions Index scored
below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to
be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be
very clean).
Denmark is the least corrupt nation in
the world, ranking first out of the 175
countries surveyed while North Korea
and Somalia are the most corrupt
nations of the world.
The Transparency International said
while top performer, Denmark, had
strong rule of law, support for civil
society and clear rules governing the
behaviour of those in public positions, it
also set an example by announcing
plans to create a public register, such as
beneficial ownership information for all
companies incorporated in Denmark.
This measure, according to the
corruption watchdog, will make it harder
for the corrupt to hide behind
companies registered in another
person’s name.
Botswana comes top as the least corrupt
nation in Africa, ranking 31st least
corrupt globally while South Africa is
ranked 67th.
Transparency International Chairman,
José Ugaz, in a statement on the TI
website, said countries at the bottom
needed to adopt radical anti-corruption
measures in favour of their people.
“The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index
shows that economic growth is
undermined and efforts to stop
corruption fade when leaders and high
level officials abuse power to
appropriate public funds for personal
gain,” Ugaz said.
According to Ugaz, countries at the top of
the index should make sure they do not
export corrupt practices to
underdeveloped countries.
“The biggest falls were in Turkey (-5),
Angola, China, Malawi and Rwanda (all
-4). The biggest improvers were Côte d
´Ivoire, Egypt, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines (+5) and Afghanistan,
Jordan, Mali and Swaziland (+4),” the
statement said.
The anti-corruption group said it was
currently running a campaign to unmask
the corrupt, urging the European Union,
the United States and G20 countries to
follow Denmark’s lead and create public
registers that would make clear “who
really controls, or is the beneficial owner,
of every company.”


www.punchng.com/news/nigeria-now-39th-most-corrupt-nation-says-ti/

Their opinion though... God bless Nigeria!!!