By Ola Kay
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ,ICPC, in conjunction with other stakeholders has charged the National Assembly on the need Pass the Whistleblower Protection Policy Bill as a matter of urgency, in order to realize
The call was made on Thursday by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, at an event put together by the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR) to mark the 2024 African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja.
This year’s theme tagged, “Effective Whistleblower Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight against Corruption,” underscores the importance of policies safeguarding whistleblowers and encouraging the reporting of corruption for a corruption-free Nigeria.
And, in accordance with the theme of the event, the ICPC boss stressed the need for legislation to protect whistleblowers, urging the National Assembly to enact the Whistleblower Protection Policy Bill.
He highlighted the pivotal role of whistleblowers in anti-corruption efforts and the necessity for proper frameworks to ensure their protection, saying, “We need a robust Act of the National Assembly to protect those risking their lives to disclose issues about corruption in our country.”
Dr. Aliyu also emphasized the importance of synergy among various anti-corruption agencies in the country to build public confidence in reporting corruption.
Head of TUGAR, Mrs. Jane Onwumere, noted that the theme of the 2024 AU Day was informed by the findings from the review of members’ implementation of the convention.
The review, according to her, indicated that inadequate whistle-blowing systems and mechanisms were major challenges in the fight against corruption and stressed the importance of guaranteeing adequate protection for whistleblowers to report corruption without fear of repraisal.
Activities of the event included the launch of the Third National Corruption Survey, a collaborative effort of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the MacArthur Foundation.
The survey provides critical statistical data on the quality and integrity of public services in Nigeria.
The Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, highlighted that previous surveys were conducted in 2016 and 2019, adding that the surveys had positioned Nigeria as a leader in establishing international best practices for periodically and scientifically assessing anti-corruption efforts.
Adeniran explained further that, “the survey is a vital tool for evidence-based policymaking, enabling comprehensive analysis of corruption trends and the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies.”
In his keynote address, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, suggested that a comprehensive standalone whistleblower protection law would enable early detection of corruption cases.
The Minister emphasized the event’s significance, especially as it coincideded with Nigeria’s implementation phase of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2023-2026 and its action plan.
Fagbemi said: “My ministry, working with key stakeholders, is finalizing the Action Plan 2023-2026, which will be launched soon.”
He called on all stakeholders to engage actively and contribute ideas to support anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
The event also included two paper presentations: “The Impact of Whistleblowing Policy on Public Sector Accountability and Transparency” by EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede, and “Whistleblowers Protection Bill: Challenges and the Way Forward” by Mr. Ashley Emenike, the Executive Director of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption.
July 11th is a day set aside by the AU to observe Anti-Corruption efforts across the continent under the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC). The day is used to recognise the significant strides achieved in combating corruption in Africa and encourages reflection on strategies to eradicate it.
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