Which one of the following factors has contributed largely to the weakened and poor performance of state institutions in most West African States?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the factor that has contributed largely to the weak and poor performance of state institutions (civil service, judiciary, police, parastatals, etc.) in most West African states.

Step 2: Explain the concept State institutions perform well when they are run on rules, merit, accountability, and proper use of public resources. When those principles are broken, the institutions lose efficiency and public trust.

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Corruption: This is the leading cause. Funds meant for projects, salaries, equipment, and services are embezzled or diverted. Appointments are made on the basis of nepotism rather than merit. Contracts are inflated or abandoned. Rules are bent for bribes. All of this drains the institutions of resources and professionalism. Corruption is widely identified in Government textbooks and by bodies such as the EFCC and ICPC as the main obstacle to institutional performance in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and other countries in the region.
• B. Globalisation: This affects economies and cultures, but it is not seen as the main cause of institutional weakness.
• C. Low remuneration and wages: This can encourage inefficiency and bribe-taking, but it is a contributing factor, and often a result of poor resource management. It is not the largest cause.
• D. Weak institutional memory: This is a minor administrative problem compared with the others, and it is not the standard answer.

Step 4: Answer The factor that contributes most to the poor performance of state institutions is corruption, which is option A.

Exam tip: In Government questions on "poor performance," "underdevelopment," or "weak institutions" in West Africa, corruption is almost always the strongest answer when the word "largely" or "major" appears. Other options are usually secondary or symptoms of corruption.