Introduce ethics programmes in public service

misdemeanours of all forms.
These range from scandalous activities of politicians and senior civil servants, to full scale corruption which has permeated all threads of public governance, sinking its roots deeper into the veins of the sector.
Scandals, inappropriate workplace behaviours, and systemic corruption are malpractices that now define the governance and business ethics terrain of the public sector.
The governance and ethics challenges facing the public service emanate from a coterie of abnormalities that include a demoralised workforce as a result of poor remuneration that is far below subsistence levels.
It also entails the absence of committed leadership, very limited resources, skills shortage as a result of brain drain, and a culture of impunity.
Systemic corruption has gone unchecked for a long time in the public sector.
The question that is on the lips of many is what can be done to ensure integrity in the public service?
An effective and efficient governance and business ethics infrastructure is urgently required in the public service in order to create safeguards against malpractices and mismanagement of public resources.
Propagation of good public governance builds public confidence in the sector’s operations, and ensures sustainable economic growth.
As the former Vice President and Controller of the World Bank Jules Muis observed, “an economy can be likened to an aeroplane. Both wings must be sound for it to fly safely.
“For an economy to grow and develop, its governance structures in both the public and private sectors must be solid.”
In the UN General Assembly Resolution (57/277) on Public Administration and Development, the significance of an efficient, accountable, effective and transparent public administration is underlined as vital to the realisation of internationally agreed goals such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The integrity of public servants and politicians is a critical ingredient for economic progression in any society.
It is quite clear that nonelected senior public servants exercise significant discretionary power in their daytoday work, and in the context of policy making.
So to ensure there is effective checks and balances ethics programmes should be implemented to act as buffers against arbitrary use of that public power.
Absence of effective public sector governance processes and deliberate efforts to build ethical cultures makes the public cynical and apathetic towards public sector institutions. It erodes their confidence and trust, and generally leads to the diminishing of government legitimacy and authority.
A low trust in Government institutions leads to tax evasion, corruption, bribery, and a total disregard of workplace rules, policies and procedures by employees.
Good governance and effective ethics cultures are imperatives for public institutions that values providing quality service to the public.
Good public governance cannot be established if leadership in the public service is not committed to high standards of individual and institutional integrity.
The public sector should have at the top ethical leadership that models good ethical behaviour which is a forerunner to creating an ethical workforce.
Research indicates that employees look up to their managers for guidance in moulding ethical behaviour.
The Government should establish a Public Service Ethics Training system that has institutional structures that encompass overall strategic guidance at national level with a national body responsible for defining training needs, guiding the training curricula, contracting out training delivery, monitoring quality and evaluating impact. This national body could be in the form of an Ethics Commission.
Without an ethical barometer it is difficult if not impossible to measure changes in levels of corruption or misconduct in the public service.
Misconduct that is hidden in bureaucratic secrecy and underhand manipulation of operational systems by those in positions of authority can only be exposed and effectively dealt with through the introduction of formal ethics programmes in the sector.
The current quarrels between the Ministries of Finance and Mines over the remittance of Chiadzwa diamond proceeds illustrates what happens where there are deficiencies in checks and balances, and in the maintenance of good governance and sound business ethics.
Through public management reforms inspired by the need to embed formal ethics programmes in the sector, important returns in terms of efficiency and effectiveness can been realised. Propagation and entrenchment of an ethical environment in the public service can be achieved when the following is done.
l Politicians should set an example by supporting the propagation of ethical conduct in the public sector.
Good public governance demands ethical leadership and political commitment at the highest level.
Promoting a culture of impunity is a travesty to good governance and the development of an orderly society.
There should be total preparedness by public managers and the political leadership to shun pretentiousness and promote adherence to ethical conduct in government business particularly in those units where interface with the general public is prevalent.
l Strong legal and regulatory processes should be built and maintained to provide the minimum condition upon which good governance and ethical cultures can be built.
An effective legal framework complements business ethics management processes.
Also as highlighted above, there is need to establish an ethics oversight body such as an Ethics Commission.
l Public sector officials need to break with the notion of ‘business as usual’ and engage in ethical ways of delivering public services.
They must do more with less, and be more accountable and open. An efficient and effective public administration that is grounded on an embedded ethical culture is the best way to ensure the renewal of employee commitment towards the sector’s public obligations.
The recent disparities in the percentage increases of legislators’ salaries against those of the common civil servants do not augur well for a cordial work environment in the public sector.
l Above all, an active civil society including a probing media should be allowed to act as watchdogs over government activities.
l Bradwell Mhonderwa is the Managing Consultant of Business Ethics Centre, a Corporate Governance and Business Ethics Management firm. Phone 04293 2948, 0712 420 090, 0772 913 875, or email [email protected]