By Nnenna Okonkwo
African centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), in collaboration with Social Action, held a one-day workshop for law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies on Thursday, August 8, 2024, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The workshop themed “Strengthening Anti-Corruption and Promoting Accountability through Whistleblowing and Whistleblower Protection,” brought together representatives from diverse law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies including the EFCC, ICPC, NAPTIP etc, in a collaborative effort to share knowledge and strategies in the fight against corruption, financial crimes and the enactment of a whistleblower law.
The coordinator of AFRICMIL, Dr. Chido Onumah, in his remarks noted that as reports of disclosures are on the rise in the public sector, whistleblowers in different government agencies have increasingly become victims of retaliation in the absence of a protection law, thereby leading to a decline in blowing the whistle for fear of the consequences. He explained that the aim of the workshop was to exchange ideas on strategies for achieving a prompt passage of the bill into law as a way of promoting whistleblowing and strengthening the fight against corruption.
Acting director, Social Action, Anino Mercy, in her goodwill message, pointed out that whistleblowers in every sector needs protection against retaliation. She urged citizens develop the habit of speaking up against corruption. She also encouraged everyone to be open to learning, unlearning, and relearning as regards blowing the whistle.
In his presentation titled “understanding Nigeria’s whistleblower policy”, Deputy director at the Federal Ministry of Finance, and head of the whistleblowing unit at the presidential initiative on continuous audit (PICA), Johnson Oludare, explained that at inception, the policy prompted many whistleblowers to come foward, leading to significant cash and asset recoveries that were widely reported by the media. However, he acknowledged that some whistleblowers had faced reprisals for blowing the whistle.
He therefore advised whistleblowers to keep a low profile after blowing the whistle and allow law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to investigate the wrongdoing being alleged.
In his presentation, Arochukwu Ogbonna, a lawyer and Programmme Officer, Social Action, pointed out that the Nigerian police act does not contain a whistleblowing provision or the protection of whistleblowers. He explained that disclosure of any wrongdoing is supposed to be in confidence, and does not attract any reward to the giver of the information except at the discretion of the police. However, there have been complaints that information given to the police is often mismanaged, thusexposing the giver of such information to adverse conditions of threats or harm by the perpetrators of the crime.
Ogbonna said that the whistleblower legislation is fundamental to the success of the anti-corruption campaign as a working instrument that enables citizens fight report corruption, and ensure openness and accountability.
He however urged law enforcement agencies including the Nigerian Police Force to work in collaboration with civil society groups to deepen the campaign for a whistleblower law in the country.
