The Effect of Minimum Wage in the Fight Against Corruption Among Civil Servants in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effect of minimum wage in the fight against corruption among civil servants in Ekiti state, Nigeria. The objectives were targeted towards assessing the effect of unemployment, briberies, basic salary, annual bonus, productivity and performance pay and allowance on corruption. Primary data were sourced through the use of structured questionnaire on carefully selected sample of 378 out of the 7,062 workers drawn from thirteen (13) chosen Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Government Corporations in Public Service of Ekiti State with staff strength of two hundred (200). Multiple regression analysis were adopted to measure the effect of unemployment, briberies, basic salary, annual bonus, productivity and performance pay and allowance on corruption. The study found that effect of unemployment on corruption (β = -0.218, p= 0.033), basic salary (β = 0.209, p= 0.007), annual bonus (β = 0.040, p= 0.003), and allowance (β = 0.741, p= 0.000). The study concluded that due process in awarding government contract are not strictly adhere to, this give room for civil servant in the state to be conscious of what to be receive either in form of gift or bribe and the annual bonus has no effect on their daily living even when paid and the various work allowance (e.g. wardrobe, leave, furniture, newspaper allowance), still could not meet the works’ needs do to economy recession.

Keywords: unemployment, basic salary, allowance, corruption, minimum wage