By Doyin Ojosipe
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), has called on the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) to use its good offices to speed up the passage of the whistleblowing bill.
Chido Onumah, Coordinator of AFRICMIL made the appeal during a courtesy call at the PACAC office in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the loss of interest in the policy was not unconnected to the lack of a legal framework that protects whistle-blowers.
“It is a big issue, many of the whistleblowers we have come across, many Nigerians we have talked to, for them, that is the thing. The whole question of whistleblower protection which we believe is at the heart of the whistleblowing policy. If people do not feel protected in very clear terms, if they do not have an understanding of what protection means for them and their family members, they are not likely to be involved in blowing the whistle,” he said.
He noted that although the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) had tried in drafting a bill, there seemed to be so many political bottlenecks around its passage at the National Assembly.
Speaking to the Executive Secretary of PACAC, he said, “We are hoping that you will use your good offices to also intervene as fast, let us know what is happening to know where the challenges arise from, whether it is from the ministry of Finance or the Auditor General’s office. The important thing is we have to fast track the process of a whistleblowing legislation bill in the country.
In the same vein, Godwin Onyeacholem, AFRICMIL’s Senior Program Officer stated that the case of a whistleblower at the Federal College of Education, Asaba, who was recently sacked and still facing some reprisals for exposing corruption was one reason why the issue of protection was central to the success of the policy. He said it was worrisome that whistleblowers have continued to face reprisals with reckless abandon in the absence of a legal framework that provides for protection for them.
Responding, PACAC’s Executive Secretary, Prof Sadiq Radda said while the policy was meant to help fight corruption for the good of the country, some mischievous citizens have tried to hijack the policy only for personal gain. He said some government officials employ the whistleblowing policy to wage war on their superiors in the office after committing a punishable offence.
He stated that although it was important to invigorate the whistleblowing policy, it was also helpful to advocate for Nigerians to avoid using the policy for personal vendetta.
He revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of late, has been on the radar of ‘so called’ whistleblowers who submitted fake or false tips.
Reacting, Lewis Asubiojo, AFRICMIL’s director said notwithstanding the status of the subordinate’s relationship with their bosses, it should not be ignored that a tip was submitted especially if the tips were submitted with evidence.
On the need for an urgent legal framework for protection of whistleblowers, Prof Radda advised that Nigerians should make do with the whistleblowing policy in the meantime as it was difficult to get a legislation in the country. He said addressing the fears as regards implementing the policy was better, pending when a legal framework would be provided.
On his part, Gary Amadi, Research and Program officer at PACAC, agreed that the issue of fast-tracking the whistleblowing bill should be considered. He said the committee will need to brainstorm on how to go about the passage of the bill as the presence of diverse whistleblower bills at the National Assembly has become clogs in the enactment process.
