By Doyin Ojosipe
As citizens continue to emphasize the importance of a whistleblower protection legislation, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), have reiterated their commitment to work with Community Based Organisations to reduce corruption at the grassroots.
The re-assurance was made at a South-south townhall meeting held June 30, 2022. The theme of the meeting is, Entrenching Whistleblowing at the Grassroots: The Role of Community Based Organisations.
The event which was organised by AFRICMIL with support from the MacArthur Foundation was held in Anambra State and had in attendance representatives of diverse CBOs of several local communities.
In a welcome address, AFRICMIL Coordinator, Dr Chido Onumah, represented by the Program Manager, Kola Ogunbiyi, said it was imperative for CBOs in the communities to join in the anti-graft war by working to address the culture of silence in the face of rising cases of corruption.
According to him, “Corruption thrives in multiple forms in our communities, but most visibly in the misappropriation of funds and abandonment of projects that could bring development and meaningfully turn around the lives of the people.”
Onumah said that AFRICMIL was always ready to work with CBOs to mobilize compatriots at the local communities and have them adopt whistleblowing as a way of fighting corruption in their localities as well as in the country.
Making a presentation centered on overcoming challenges of whistleblowing, the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said the Commission had tried to solve the problem of confidentiality in whistleblowing by creating an Eagle Eye App, where informants could submit tips without necessarily interfacing with EFCC Officials.
Bawa, who was represented by the Commission’s State Commander, Oshodi Johnson, urged all citizens to take advantage of the policy and join in the anti-graft war, adding that the effects of corruption favour no tribe nor religion.
He also called on CBOs and other stakeholders to help awaken the commitments of the masses in eradicating corruption.
“Given the promise held by the whistle-blowing policy, it has become imperative for all of us –anti-corruption agencies, policy-makers, civil society organizations, Community based organizations –to recommit to the policy and vigorously work for its success. I consider this meeting as a call to action; one which will ensure that the corrupt have no place anywhere in Nigeria to hide their loot. Let us ensure that this torch of vigilance shines brightly and illuminates all the dark recesses of our nation” he said.
Similarly, the ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, represented by Enugu State Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Kennedy Ebhotemen, expressed regret over the lack of legal framework that is expected to provide proper protection for whistleblowers. He said whistleblowers could however make use of some protection laws under the ICPC Acts of 2000.
Addressing participants, the Acting Auditor General, Anambra State, Dan Okeke, noted that the importance of whistleblowing to auditors cannot be over-emphasized as it makes work easier and helps to provide direction when auditing reports. He urged citizens not to relent in submitting tips.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth/Women Affairs, Dr Dan Ezeanwu, said despite the worsening state of the economy due to corruption, whistleblowing can only thrive in an enabling environment.
Earlier, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Garba Abari, represented by Anambra State Director, Charles Nwoji, said the need to continually raise awareness about the policy at the grassroots places great responsibility on the CBOs. He commended AFRICMIL for the initiative.
Sharing their experiences, two of the participants who pleaded for anonymity revealed that they had indeed come across some fraudulent practices in their communities which they were still investigating.
