Corruption | Jotup

Rich people, bribes and depression – study finds link between corruption and mental health among Ghanaian students

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Depression, Life, Afrobarometer, Psychology, Uncertainty, Culture, Perception, Mental health, Economic methodology, Hospital, Government, Corruption, Helpless, Anxiety, Sociology, Drug

In a 2023 Afrobarometer survey, 77% of Ghanaians surveyed responded that corruption was on the rise in the country.

Key Points:

In a 2023 Afrobarometer survey, 77% of Ghanaians surveyed responded that corruption was on the rise in the country.
As scholars of psychology, we set out to examine the overall levels and effects of perceived corruption on mental health in Ghana.
We found that people’s perception of corruption in Ghana had a negative impact on their mental health.

Study method

We used a survey to collect data from 730 university students in Ghana. The participants’ average age was 22 years and they were studying for different degrees. We measured their perception of corruption by asking them to respond to four statements. The responses ranged from “not at all” to “extremely likely”:
State institutions are corrupt (for example public universities, hospitals).
Politicians and other government officials are corrupt (for example, parliamentarians and ministers).
In this country, people who have money/resources can influence any state institution(s) or government official(s) for personal gain.
In the last 12 months, I have seen a person influence/induce state institution(s) or government official(s) with money or other thing for personal gain.

The mental health burden of witnessing corruption

We also investigated the question of what aspect of corruption had the greatest impact, and on what aspect of mental health.
What we found was that witnessing corruption among state institutions and government officials, and the perception that the rich could influence these officials for personal gain, was strongly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms among our participants.

Why does corruption affect mental health in Ghana?

Firstly, witnessing corruption may reinforce the negative beliefs about harassment, uncertainty and arbitrariness that are associated with corrupt practices.
We discovered that the links between witnessing corruption and mental health problems could also be traced to certain tendencies for people to:

remain silent to protect or save others from being caught in order to maintain relationships
report to get the corrupt person sacked and ruin relationships
conform to a culture of corruption either in solidarity or for fear of being victimised.

These tendencies can potentially create psychological discomfort that may lead to mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression.
There is a need to rethink the effects of corruption perceptions and to redefine it as a social determinant of public mental health.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Growing secrecy limits government accountability

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

By the 1990s, the clipboards were moved out of the lobby, so we asked at the counter to see them.

Key Points:

By the 1990s, the clipboards were moved out of the lobby, so we asked at the counter to see them.
For decades, journalists and civic activists have lamented the increasing secrecy of government – the times, they were denied government information, particularly from public records requests.
Reports have shown secrecy getting worse at the federal, state and local government levels.

Openness benefits people and society

And there are clear benefits: Open records are proven to lead to less sex-offender recidivism, fewer food service complaints, increased trust in government institutions and reduced corruption.
Stanford University professor James Hamilton calculated that for every dollar spent by newspapers on public records-based journalism, society realizes benefits worth US$287 in lower taxes and saved lives.

Less transparency year after year

Today, you might get it about 12% of the time, and the trend is steadily downward.
Every year in mid-March, since 2005, national Sunshine Week has promoted the right of people to acquire public records and attend public meetings.
Our research indicates that U.S. government secrecy has never been so prevalent.
President Donald Trump’s administration was more secretive than Obama’s, and transparency continues to slide under the Biden administration.

Data tells a piece of the story

According to annual data collected by the U.S. Department of Justice, federal agencies have become more secretive over the past decade:
The prevalence of people getting what they asked for through FOIA requests declined from 38% of the time in 2010 to 17% in 2022.
In 2010, about 13% of the time, federal agencies would reply to FOIA requests by saying they couldn’t find records pertaining to the request. By 2022, the rate of that type of response had increased to 21%, which officials often attributed to outdated record management systems incapable of keeping up with the massive amounts of electronic records, particularly emails.
Backlogs, where requests languish beyond the 20-day legal requirement for completion, have nearly doubled since 2010, from 12% of total requests to 22%. The average number of days it takes to process simple requests, which require little staff time and a smaller volume of records, has doubled since 2014, from 21 days to 41 days, according to Justice Department reports.

That includes denying people’s requests about properly withheld intelligence information.
But it also includes refusing to release information on topics of great public interest, such as defective consumer products and employment discrimination cases.

And some agencies’ public information officers obstruct public access to information.
They limit access to the people and documents most important for government transparency and accountability.

Research-based solutions

Independent oversight offices with enforcement power, such as in Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania and more than 80 nations, provide private citizens an alternative to litigation.
Our preliminary assessment indicates that there is a lot of work left to do, and that Congress and government agencies have ignored many of the recommendations.

He is currently director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, a nonpartisan organization at the University of Florida dedicated to research and education in freedom of information since 1977.
The Brechner FOI Project coordinates Sunshine Week to educate the public about their right to know.

What can we expect from six more years of Vladimir Putin? An increasingly weak and dysfunctional Russia

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Kremlin, Intelligence, Quality of life, Thought, Government, Alexei Navalny, Aggression, School, COVID-19, Corruption, Death, Communism, Policy, Democracy, Politics, Movement, Logic, Housing, Research

The only real question is whether he will receive more than 75% of the vote.

Key Points:

The only real question is whether he will receive more than 75% of the vote.
It could be tempting to see these results as a sign of the strength of the Russian system.
It is also increasingly dysfunctional, trapped in a cycle of poor quality and weak governance that cannot be solved by one man, no matter how much power he has.

The constitutional dark arts

This centralisation is the product of an increasingly common logic that I call the “constitutional dark arts”.
This logic generally holds that democracy and rights protection are best guaranteed in a constitutional system that centralises authority in one elected leader.
This line of thinking is present in many populist, authoritarian countries, such as Hungary and Turkey.
Thirty years later, however, we can see how this use of the “constitutional dark arts” backfired spectacularly.

Poor quality governance in Russia

Although this centralised system has allowed Putin to dominate politics, it fosters weak and poor governance, particularly outside Moscow.
First, centralised decision-making in Russia is often made using incomplete or false information.
It was based on intelligence that the operation would be over quickly and Ukrainians would likely welcome Russian forces.
In his February 29 address to parliament, Putin tacitly acknowledged these problems, promising new national projects to improve infrastructure, support families and enhance the quality of life.

An increasingly dysfunctional Russia

Externally, this centralisation is likely to produce an increasingly unpredictable Russia, led by a man making decisions on the basis of an increasingly paranoid world view and incorrect or manipulated information.
It will likely foster harsher repression of any dissenting voices inside Russia, as well.
We are also likely to see an increasingly dysfunctional Russia, one in which roads, housing, schools, health care and other infrastructure will continue to deteriorate, particularly outside of Moscow.

William Partlett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

National Anti-Corruption Commission Thailand Exposes More Than 1,500 Instances of Corruption Through Proactive Investigations

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Virtue, Ethics, Transparency International, Government, NACC, CPI, Private sector, Corruption, Policy, News, Corruption Perceptions Index, Finance, CDC, Commission, Drug

The Center is instrumental in monitoring, evaluating, and investigating corruption cases, in line with the policy to actively prevent and suppress corruption.

Key Points:

The Center is instrumental in monitoring, evaluating, and investigating corruption cases, in line with the policy to actively prevent and suppress corruption.
Over the past two years, the CDC's effective preventative measures have significantly reduced the number of corruption cases within the suppression system.
With an unwavering commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, Thailand can achieve its goal of a corruption-free society.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a constitutional independent organization and supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission Thailand proceeds to anti-bribery through ISO 37001 amidst digital age

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

ABMS, ISO, Virtue, Ethics, ISO 37001, Government, World Bank, NACC, Canada immigration statistics, Private sector, Organic act, Corruption, Organization, Guideline, News, ABAS, Finance

BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 27 February 2024 - The Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as the main agency for the prevention and suppression of corruption in Thailand, announced to seriously adopt ISO 37001 in tackling corruption, involving giving and receiving bribes in the current digitalization era. The NACC indicated that bribery problems are a serious threat and impact every nation around the world. It disrupts economic systems and creates challenges and obstacles for numerous nations. According to the World Bank, bribery accounts for as much as US$1 trillion annually, which is equivalent to 3% of the global GDP. As such, the ISO is both, an independent organization and a non-governmental international organization, whose mission is to establish international standards, therefore ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System or ABMS has been developed by ISO. ISO 37001 is the international standard for a management system designed to prevent the giving and receiving of bribes. This anti-corruption management guideline is applicable to all types or sizes of organizations, including those in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Each country can use it as guidance to adopt and voluntarily implement these standards domestically. The ISO 37001 is internationally recognized as an instrument for corporate compliance programs and as a powerful internal control measure to prevent bribery of juristic persons. Many countries have implemented domestic regulations to incentivize and promote the adoption of ISO 37001 in both the private and public sectors. The NACC has amended the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption, B.E. 2561 (2018) by including a provision that imposes criminal penalties for juristic person instances of bribery. This amendment has studied best practices from foreign countries and studied or adopted the principle of ISO 37001 into consideration in drafting Section 176 of the act as well, resulting in consistency with the principle and practice of ISO 37001. For the purpose of concrete mobilization and raising awareness of Section 176, the NACC has established the Anti-Bribery Advisory Service (ABAS) to drive anti-bribery concretely. ABAS is a center that collects and disseminates various knowledge as well as provides recommendations to prevent bribery problems in the business sectors. In this regard, the NACC provides "Guidelines on Appropriate Internal Control Measures for Juristic Persons", which align with ISO 37001. The guidelines and other interest documents can be downloaded via https://www.nacc.go.th/abas/ ---------- Source: https://www.nacc.go.th/categorydetail/20180831184638361/20240208140737 *This press release translation is funded by the National Anti-Corruption Fund (NACF). Hashtag: #IntegrityWay #AntiCorruption #ZeroCorruption #NACC #NACF

Key Points:

As such, the ISO is both, an independent organization and a non-governmental international organization, whose mission is to establish international standards, therefore ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System or ABMS has been developed by ISO.
ISO 37001 is the international standard for a management system designed to prevent the giving and receiving of bribes.
Many countries have implemented domestic regulations to incentivize and promote the adoption of ISO 37001 in both the private and public sectors.
In this regard, the NACC provides "Guidelines on Appropriate Internal Control Measures for Juristic Persons", which align with ISO 37001.

NACC Thailand urges all to help combat corruption, clarifying that the country has the protection of witnesses and whistleblowers act to increase confidence among those involved

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 March 2024 - The Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Thailand encourages both locals and foreigners to participate in tackling the corruption problem, ensuring that there is a specified law to protect witnesses and whistleblowers to help officials detect corruption cases. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand Section 63 B.E.2560 (2017) places importance on the prevention and suppression of corruption by focusing on the participation of the public in the fight against or pointing out clues of corruption, and the state must provide measures to protect people who report corruption. Meanwhile, the Organic Act on the Prevention and Suppression of Corruption B.E. 2561 (2018), Section 131 and Section 133 empower NACC to provide safety protection to accusers, victims, petitioners, complainants, witnesses, whistleblowers who give statements or reports any clues or information about corruption. The law also protects the performance of duties to government officials who give statements or whistleblowing to the NACC. "Preventing and combating corruption requires the cooperation of all sectors, whether government agencies, private organizations, or civil society, to recognize the serious threats that arise and recognize the importance of the problem of corruption. Witnesses or people who have been damaged by corruption cases or whistleblowers are afraid to complain or give information regardless of corruption and bribery. This will create difficulty in tackling corruption and bringing perpetrators to justice. For that reason, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand; therefore, places importance on the prevention and suppression of corruption by focusing on the participation of the public in the fight against or pointing out clues of corruption, and the state must provide measures to protect people who report corruption," the NACC explained. Moreover, it pointed out that at present the problem of corruption in countries around the world has become one of the most important problems in many countries, including Thailand, where many related sectors have a common will to help prevent and suppress corruption. The nature of corruption is perceived only by the giver and the recipient, so when the benefits are balanced, it is difficult for either party to complain about this guilt as fear of causing themselves and other people around them to face trouble or being extorted by those who involved the bribes. Thus, Thai law is concerned with this problem so it gives full authority to the NACC to set up the regulations on Witness Protection B.E. 2562 (2019, providing guidelines for for requesting witness and whistleblower protection. The guidelines define that persons entitled to file applications and witness protection are covering accuser, victim, petitioner, complainant who gives statements, or the whistleblower including the spouse, parents, successor, or any other person who has a close relationship with the requester. To file a complaint or give information about corruption to the NACC, anyone can contact NACC provincial offices nationwide or other agencies to request witnesses' protection. In case, the witness or whistleblower is unable to present the complaint in person, it shall be done in writing or by letter, or by other means of communication such as telephone, fax, or electronic mail, or may authorize another person to act on their behalf. After receiving requests for witness and whistleblower protection, the NACC will provide officers to secure witnesses at residences or places requested by witnesses or whistleblowers or arrange for witnesses to stay or reside at a location designated by the office. That witness can ensure that the NACC will provide measures to conceal the personal data of witnesses and whistleblowers while arranging contact to ensure their well-being or regularly inspect the place where they live or stay. Moreover, the NACC will send a notification in writing to the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Protection of Rights and Liberties, or other agencies to implement additional security protection. To ensure that witnesses and whistleblowers will be able to live as normal, in case they cannot work or earn a living while being under protection, the NACC provides expenses and allowances as they are entitled to compensation. In case of damage to life, body, health, liberty, reputation, property or any other rights of witnesses, and other expenses for giving testify to the officers, the compensation for witness protection shall be disbursed at the rate specified by the Ministry of Justice or as determined by the government. The NACC concluded that the agency recognizes and values the protection of witnesses and whistleblowers as they are key persons who could help Thailand improve transparency and wipe away the corruption from Thai society, as well as increase the corruption perception index to a higher level equivalent to the international level. For whistleblowing of any misconduct by government officials, please contact the NACC Office Tel. 1205 or website: www.nacc.go.th ---------------------------------------------------- Reference: https://nacc.go.th/categorydetail/20180831184638361/20240304143021? Organic Act on Prevention and Combating Corruption B.E. 2561 (2018), Section 131 and Section 133 accompanying the National Anti-Corruption Commission Regulation on Protection and Assistance of Witnesses B.E. 2562 (2019) *This press release translation is funded by the National Anti-Corruption Fund (NACF). Hashtag: #IntegrityWay #AntiCorruption #ZeroCorruption #NACC #NACF

Key Points:

The law also protects the performance of duties to government officials who give statements or whistleblowing to the NACC.
Witnesses or people who have been damaged by corruption cases or whistleblowers are afraid to complain or give information regardless of corruption and bribery.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Thailand is a constitutional independent organization and supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions.
The NACC is supervised by the NACC Board and has the Office of the NACC as its administrative agency.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission Thailand Alerts Investors to Risks of Gratuity Offerings as Potential Bribery

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Virtue, Code, Transparency International, Culture, TI, Offense, Government, TEL, NACC, Private sector, Corruption, Organization, News, Finance, Commission, Drug

The NACC's Secretary-General, Mr. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, emphasized that the regulatory framework established in 2020 includes criminal penalties for such offenses.

Key Points:

The NACC's Secretary-General, Mr. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, emphasized that the regulatory framework established in 2020 includes criminal penalties for such offenses.
The code aims to prevent the masking of bribes as gratuities, a practice that is identified as a seedbed for bribery and corruption, posing significant hurdles to national development and contravening legal standards.
This warning aligns with the stance of Transparency International (TI), which categorizes bribery as a form of corruption that must be eradicated.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a constitutional independent organization supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie Honored with Leadership Award by Competitive Markets Groups

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

LOUISVILLE, KY, Feb. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), recently announced the recipients of their 2023 Congressional Awards and honored U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, with their Leadership Award for his work to reform the U.S. Dept.

Key Points:

LOUISVILLE, KY, Feb. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), recently announced the recipients of their 2023 Congressional Awards and honored U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, with their Leadership Award for his work to reform the U.S. Dept.
As a beef producer and cattleman, Massie understands how deep the corruption in Washington’s swampy checkoff slush funds runs,” said Marty Irby, President & CEO at Competitive Markets Action and Board Secretary at the Organization for Competitive Markets.
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

Rep. Alex Mooney Named Legislator of the Year by Competitive Markets Groups

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

CHARLESTON, WV, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), recently announced the recipients of their 2023 Congressional Leadership Awards and their Competitive Markets Legislator of the Year Award recipient, U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-WV.

Key Points:

CHARLESTON, WV, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), recently announced the recipients of their 2023 Congressional Leadership Awards and their Competitive Markets Legislator of the Year Award recipient, U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-WV.
Mooney was selected as the Competitive Markets overall Legislator of the Year for 2023 as he was the only Member of Congress who supported each of the three legislative initiatives.
“I’m honored to be named the Competitive Markets Legislator of the Year in Congress.
The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

Kenya Construction Industry Report 2023: Local and international Factors, Competitive Environment, Industry Associations, Market Dynamics - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

The "The Construction Industry in Kenya 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points:

The "The Construction Industry in Kenya 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
This report on the construction industry in Kenya includes comprehensive information on the state and size of the industry, numbers of contactors and registered projects, infrastructure and road development, housing and renewable energy projects.
There is information on notable players, labour and wages, environmental issues and input costs and bank loans and government spending on construction.
The South African company is registered with the Engineers' Board of Kenya in civil and electrical engineering and specialises in installing transport technology.