The African Centre for Media and
Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), a civil society organization currently engaged
in a project (Corruption Anonymous)
to support the Nigerian government’s whistleblower policy, has applauded the
momentum the policy has brought to the war against corruption and the
suspension of the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
over the N13billion seized by the EFCC in a Lagos apartment, reports ITRealms.
The Coordinator of AFRICMIL, Chido
Onumah, in a press statement made available to ITRealms, expressed delight that
the success so far recorded was a pointer to the fact that the policy was
proving to be an effective tool in checking widespread corruption in the
polity.
“Within so short a period the
whistleblower policy has transformed the anti-corruption landscape to the
extent that hitherto lukewarm citizens, the bulk of whom are direct victims of
corruption, have started showing in the war against corruption by exposing
hiding places of looted funds” he said.
AFRICMIL noted that there was no
doubt that the aim of the policy was steadily being achieved with the
involvement of Nigerians. It praised the government for its realization that
without getting citizens to play a key role in the fight against corruption,
there was no way the war would be successfully prosecuted.
Also AFRICMIL stated that only
corrupt persons and beneficiaries of the proceeds of corruption would not be
happy with the positive impact of whistleblowing since it was launched four
months ago.
“We are all witnesses to the long
years of orchestrated stealing and stashing away of public funds in our
country. While a majority of Nigerians have been jubilating over the gradual
recovery of these funds through whistleblowing, we hope that the perpetrators
of this heinous crime and their accomplices would be exposed in due course,”
Onumah said.
While commending government for the
vision that led to the policy, the organization called for decisive action on
the recent seizure by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of about
N13billion from a flat in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.
AFRICMIL called on government to be
honest and transparent on the issue as the case had the potential of totally
dismantling the whistleblower policy.
“The case has presented itself as the
litmus test for the effective implementation of the policy going forward. We
appeal to government to treat it objectively so as not to erode the support and
confidence of the people in the policy,” Onumah said.
AFRICMIL reiterated continued support
and readiness to partner with government in promoting and strengthening the
policy for effective implementation.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
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