ABSTRACT
Like honesty and clean water, “accountability” is invariably seen as a “good thing”; few argue against what has been called a “non-contestable concept” (Wolf, 1999). Conversely, the absence of accountability is associated with most of the greatest abuses in human history. Unchecked by the need to explain themselves, a long list of politicians, businessmen and public officials of all shapes, sizes and professions have abused their roles. Accountability is thus closely linked with the exercise of power and the legitimacy of policies, and those pursuing them. As Gregory (2000) suggests “Issues of accountability…are as much moral and ethical as they are technical in nature, and impinge firmly upon the trust needed to underpin a democratically healthy relationship between politicians, bureaucrats and citizens.”
