Nigeria Failed in Major Policy Indicators, Says US
From Constance Ikokwu in Washington, D.C., 11.20.2007
The United States government has released a countries’ annual performance scorecard, with Nigeria failing in 13 of 17 major policy indicators.
Produced by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US government corporation designed to work with poor countries, the score-card found Nigeria’s commitment to policies that promote healthcare, control of corruption, education and economic freedom wanting.
It said Nigeria failed in policy indicators which include civil liberties, control of corruption, government effectiveness, rule of law, voice and accountability, immunisation rates, health expenditure, primary education expenditure, girls primary education completion, natural resource management, regulatory quality, land rights and access and trade policy.
The country, however, performed well in areas such as political rights, business start-up, inflation and fiscal policy. Nigeria’s West African neighbour, Ghana, failed only in three indicators – girls primary education completion, trade policy and fiscal policy.
Another West African country, Sierra-Leone, performed woefully on control of corruption, government effectiveness, rule of law, immunisation rates, health expenditures, primary education expenditures, girls primary education expenditures, natural resource management, regulatory quality, land rights access, business start-up, trade policy and fiscal policy.
In East Africa, Uganda failed in only two indicators – political rights and girls primary education completion, while Kenya failed in control of corruption, rule of law, immunisation rates, health expenditures and fiscal policy.
The MCC Board of Directors use the performance scorecard to pick countries eligible for two types of funding – Compact and Threshold assistance. Although Nigeria is not one of the major beneficiaries of US government's aid, the scorecard could be an indication of how that country views our progress in all these
areas. It could also be the basis for future engagement with Nigeria on other issues apart from financial aid.
