Abstract

This study was set to examine knowledge of relationship between corruption and poverty. The study was actually targeted at political-office holders and non-political officers, in order to possibly investigate any difference in their knowledge of the relationship between corruption and poverty. This study was informed on the revelation of the increasing like Nigeria while at the same time, corruption and other forms of economic and financial crimes have been on the increase. Basically, this study was a survey, which adopted ex-post facto design. A total number of 292 of participants (i.e. both the political office holders and non-political office holders) took part in the study. The participants generally were made up 133(45.2%) males and 161(54.8%) females, with a mean age of 43.39(509.80) collection. Both the Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that non-political office holders reported significantly higher on overall knowledge of relationship between corruption and poverty (t (292) =-3.04, p<.01). However the results showed that there was no significant difference between political office holder and non-political office holders on specific knowledge that corruption perpetuates and exacerbates poverty by diverting resources and benefits towards the rich and away from the poor (t (292) = 14, p>.05); that corruption disturbers the patterns of public spending and investment by encouraging large capital intensive project to maximize bride receipt (t (292)=-.08, p>.05); that corruption reduces tax revenues to government and thus a reduction in public services that benefit the poor (t (292)=-1.08, p>.05); that corruption undermines social and political stability with consequences that leave poor people more insecure (t (292)=.09, p>.05); that corruption reduces economic growth and thereby the opportunities for the poor to escape from poverty (t (292)=.79, p>.05); that corruption perpetuates social exclusion and prevents the poor from acquiring the capacity to challenge inequality of resources (t (292)=.20, p>.05). the results showed further that non-political office holders reported significantly higher on knowledge of relationship between corruption and poverty by imposing an additional unofficial tax, which the poor are least able to pay (t (292)=-3.81, p<.01); and by depriving the poor of their legal rights and entitlement (t (292)=-3.51, p<.01). The results of the study were adequately discussed, in relation to the relevant related studies. It was then emphasized that the issue of conception is real and is even endemic in the country and as such all efforts should be geared towards eradicating all forms of corruption. And also, political office holders should be made to know the negative implications of every form of corruption practices they are involved in.