Accountability is a crucial component of ethical governance in public administration. It ensures that public officials and institutions are responsible for their actions and decisions, and are held accountable for any mistakes or wrongdoing. Here are some ways accountability contributes to ethical governance:

1. Prevents Abuse of Power: Accountability helps to prevent the abuse of power by public officials, as they are more likely to act ethically when they know they will be held accountable for their actions.
2. Promotes Transparency: Accountability promotes transparency in government decision-making, ensuring that citizens have access to information about policy decisions and how public funds are being used.
3. Encourages Ethical Behavior: Accountability encourages public officials to behave ethically, as they know that their actions will be scrutinized and evaluated.
4. Fosters Trust: Accountability helps to build trust between citizens and government, as citizens feel that their voices are heard and their concerns are being addressed.
5. Improves Decision-Making: Accountability ensures that decisions are made based on sound principles and values, rather than personal interests or biases.
6. Reduces Corruption: Accountability helps to reduce corruption by making it more difficult for public officials to engage in unethical behavior, such as bribery or embezzlement.
7. Provides Mechanisms for Redress: Accountability provides mechanisms for citizens to seek redress when they feel their rights have been violated or they have been treated unfairly.
8. Encourages Continuous Improvement: Accountability encourages continuous improvement by providing a framework for evaluating performance and identifying areas for improvement.
9. Provides a Framework for Oversight: Accountability provides a framework for oversight, ensuring that public officials are held accountable for their actions and decisions.
10. Protects Human Rights: Accountability helps to protect human rights by ensuring that government actions do not violate the rights of individuals or groups.

In summary, accountability is essential for ethical governance in public administration because it promotes transparency, encourages ethical behavior, fosters trust, improves decision-making, reduces corruption, provides mechanisms for redress, encourages continuous improvement, provides a framework for oversight, and protects human rights.