NAN-H-125
Whistleblower
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, Feb. 23, 2017 (NAN) Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, rights campaigner and President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, on Thursday urged security of whistleblowers and protection of their secrets.
Okei-Odumakin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that sincerity was needed on the part of the Federal Government to encourage more testifiers of financial crimes and facilitate recovery of looted funds.
NAN reports that the Federal Government formulated the whistleblower policy some weeks ago to encourage Nigerians to report financial and other related crimes to relevant authorities.
The government has said that the policy is yielding fruits and has led to recovery of billions of naira.
“It is a welcome development but such a policy must be complemented by sincerity on the part of the government.
”The security and secrecy of whistle blowers must be guaranteed; that is the only way to ensure the sustainability of the policy,’’ she said.
The activist also said that money so far recovered through the policy should be duly accounted for and channelled into people-oriented projects.
“This must also be transparently applied in ordere to ensure that the loots are not stolen again by a new set of looters.’’
On the just-concluded three-day public hearing on the 2017 Budget, Okei-Odumakin said that the government action was commendable, but would not resolve Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
According to her, a major way out the challenges is to return to true federalism which, she claimed, the 2014 National Conference Report has largely addressed.
“Budget alone cannot bail Nigeria out of its current economic challenges; we need a more holistic approach; that is, our determination as a country to restructure.
“We need to review this current system that has continued to prove its failures than fulfilling the aspirations of the people,’’ she urged.
NAN reports that the public hearing was the first ever organised by the National Assembly with the aim of producing a budget by Nigerians and for Nigerians. (NAN)
LED/AK/IGO
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(Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Ijeoma Popoola)