By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A significant step has been taken by the federal government to strengthen its whistleblowing policy introduced in December 2016 by the immediate past administration of Mr Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, at a one-day sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the whistleblowing policy in Nigeria, said the government of President Bola Tinubu has developed a draft bill to provide legal backing and protection for whistleblowers.
According to him, this bill aims to address the challenges hindering the policy’s implementation and encourage more individuals to report corruption and misconduct in the conduct of government businesses.
He said at the event themed Issues, Challenges and Way Forward that the bill would be presented to the National Assembly, noting that Mr Tinubu was committed to ensuring that the policy is pursued with strict compliance with the rule of law to achieve transparency and accountability in governance.
“The government acknowledges that more needs to be done to encourage Nigerians to own the fight against corruption and report financial misappropriation,” Mr Edun said, revealing that the country has recovered funds totalling N83.0 billion, $609.1 million and €5.5 million between 2017 and 2023.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Finance Mr Okokon Ekanem Udo, stated that the whistleblowing policy, since its inception in December 2016, has proven to be one of the veritable tools in uncovering corrupt practices within the public and private sectors.
It is aimed at empowering citizens to report to the relevant authorities about identified misappropriation of public funds and other fraudulent activities, thereby contributing immensely towards the institutionalisation of transparency and accountability in governance.
However, like other policies of the government, Mr Udo said the implementation of the policy has encountered some challenges.
“At the initial stage, there was widespread enthusiasm on the part of Nigerians about the introduction of the policy. The momentum and popularity that heralded its introduction need to be reinforced and sustained,” he said.
He announced that the sensitization workshop is designed not only to deepen our understanding of the wWhistleblowing policy in Nigeria but also to foster cooperation among the key stakeholders, which include the implementing team, the Civil Society Organisations, as well as members of the media.
In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, said that it is imperative to focus on strengthening the protection of whistleblowers and safeguarding their identities. This, she said, will encourage more individuals to come forward and contribute to the fight against corruption and misconduct.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Human Resources, Mr Olusola Dada, also observed the need to improve the Reporting Mechanism to make reporting channels more accessible, user-friendly, and effective.
“It is essential that these mechanisms not only facilitate the reporting of concerns but also ensure that those concerns are addressed promptly and transparently,” she said.
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