FG Plans Legal Framework To Protect Whistleblowers

The federal government is working on a plan to give a bite to the implementation of the whistleblowing policy that was introduced by the administration of former President Buhari.

The minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun who disclosed reiterated the federal government’s commitment to guarantee the protection of whistleblowers from possible reprisals by handling their reports with utmost confidentiality.

This is coming as the government said it has successfully recovered the sum of N83,019,178,375.86; $609,083,391.91, and €5,494,734.71 since the introduction of its whistleblowing policy in 2017.

The finance minister said the aim is to empower Nigerians more by the policy to remain as the watchdog of public officials and institutions.

Edun said the current administration would leave no stone unturned to ensure that a legal framework is put in place to drive the implementation of the whistleblowing policy.  “To this end, we are working towards re-presenting the Whistleblowing Bill to the current National Assembly for necessary legislative action,” Edun said yesterday at a one-day sensitization workshop on the implementation of whistleblowing policy in Nigeria. “We expect that the public would support the expeditious passage of the Bill into Law by the National Assembly.”

He reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to institutionalising transparency, accountability, and ethical governance, adding that the whistleblowing policy is part of the government’s strategy to ensure that public institutions operate with integrity and remain accountable to the Nigerian people.

Tagged “Implementation of the Whistle-blowing Policy in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward,” Edun said it was the responsibility of everyone to create an environment where Nigeria’s populace feels confident and protected in reporting unethical or illegal activities capable of jeopardising the overall development of the country.

There is public misconception about the policy, a situation Edusin said has made stakeholders’ engagement indispensable to further enlighten the public on the policy. The government said it is committed to guaranteeing the whistleblower’s protection from possible reprisals by handling their reports with the utmost confidentiality.

The whistleblowers’ policy had been left to die by the same administration under the office of former minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed who failed to drive its implementation like her predecessor Kemi Adeosun.

Permanent secretary (special duties) in the ministry of finance, Okokon Udo said it is imperative to continually refine the strategies to ensure effective implementation of the policy to achieve the desired results.

“The momentum and popularity that heralded its introduction need to be reinforced and sustained.  We are here today to examine the challenges and collectively seek ways to overcome them. It is imperative that we continually refine our strategies to ensure effective implementation of the policy to achieve the desired results,” he stated yesterday.