Lawrence Ehizode ODIGIE

The rising cases of public corruption within the West African Region involving a substantial proportion of the resources of the various States has become a transnational phenomenon that affects most West African societies and economies. It has threatened the political stability and security, weakened public institutions, undermined the rule of law and hindered sustainable development in most West African States. The affected States such as Nigeria, Cameroun, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali and Ivory Coast concerned about the negative effects of corruption and impunity on the economic and social development of the African people, acknowledged the need to address the root causes of corruption in the African continent through preventive measures, the formulation of legislations, penal policies and other non-penal measures aimed at protecting the society against corruption. The African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption is the principal regional instrument in the continent and the West African region designed to combat public corruption through preventive measures that prohibit acts of corruption and corrupt practices. There is need for West African States to adopt measures that prohibit illicit enrichment, promote access to information and transparency in public offices and institutions, prosecution of corrupt public officials and other strategic measures such as confiscation and forfeiture of instruments and proceeds of corrupt practices, extradition in cases of trans-boarder corrupt practices within the territorial jurisdiction of two or more States. The principle of bank secrecy expounded by the International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism & Proliferation (FATF Recommendations) 2012 and the spirit of international cooperation are part of the anti-corruption measures that will be examined in the course of this research. The research shall also examine the benefits and effectiveness of the various penal and non-penal measures employed by West African States in their various jurisdictions in combating corruption with a view to determine the extent to which these measures adopted have been effective in addressing corrupt practices. The research shall then proceed to determine how anti-corruption measures can improve the financial health and economic development in West Africa. The concluding part of this research shall suggest possible ways or make recommendations on how anti-corruption measures can be improved through sincere commitment and adequate enforcement.