The Presidency has commenced efforts to strengthen the mechanism of the Whistleblower policy following breakthroughs in the war against corruption and unaccounted wealth.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the enthusiastic response of Nigerians to the whistle blower policy has boosted the tempo of the anti corruption crusade of the Buhari administration and as a consequence, the government is considering ways of enhancing the structural capacity of the whistleblower mechanism.
He told State House Correspondents on Wednesday afternoon that government is considering empowering the mechanism by either bringing it under the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PCAC or some other body to imbue the process with a strategic national purpose.
“In a word, government thinks that the whistleblower mechanism is too important to be left without a strategic, national direction.”
Malam Garba commended the zeal and patriotism of Nigerians for responding positively to the whistle blower incentive policy, which is intended to expose hidden looted funds.
According to the Presidential Media Aide, “no public policy can succeed or go far enough without public support and participation”, and that “when the citizens realise they are victims of corruption, they may feel encouraged to join the efforts to expose looted funds.
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Malam Shehu explained that the huge and incredible amounts of looted funds being recovered by EFCC and the whistleblower efforts “is a revelation about the mindless, callous and reckless scale on which Nigeria had been robbed by unpatriotic and egregiously selfish public officials.”
He said the election of President Buhari in 2015 was a divine intervention in response to the desperate cries of Nigerians for urgent change”, adding that “stealing by officials under a democratic government at the expense of people’s welfare is worst betrayal of voters mandate.”
The Presidential spokesman also indicated that the government is getting suggestions to bring the issue of illegal weapons in the hand of citizens that are used to fuel intra and inter-communal violence under the purview whistle blower policy. “Yes, it is true, the presidency has has received suggestions that call for the whistle blower policy to be extended to the possession of illegal weapons by powerful individuals in the country.
The government will look at all that and make a pronouncement. Nigerians would be encouraged to expose the presence of illegal weapons in the homes of powerful politicians and other public figures who may use those deadly arms for sinister political agenda.”
He said these patriotic Nigerians exposing looted funds deserve all the encouragement and protection to sustain their enthusiasm, with a view to encouraging more citizens to participate in this major aspect of the anti corruption crusade.
While commending Nigerians for their support, the Buhari administration has assured the citizens that all recovered funds would be applied to their welfare and happiness, adding that no country can achieve progress with corruption.
