News
Pressure Mounts On Tinubu’s Govt To Prioritise Enactment Of Whistleblower Protection Law
Joel Ajayi
There have been fresh calls for President Bola Tinubu-led administration to reintroduce and push for the speedy passage of the ‘botched’ Whistleblower Bill into law.
The African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG) and other civil society organizations had been advocating on different fora for the Tinubu-led Executive and the Legislature to prioritize the passage of whistleblower protection law after a failed attempt during the 9th National Assembly.
The latest call was made by a Program Officer, CLEEN Foundation, Nnamdi Odo, during an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by PRIMORG, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Odo urged the Federal Government to get the Whistleblower Bill passed as soon as possible, given its importance in the fight against corruption, noting that a speedy passage of a law to protect persons who expose corrupt acts in the country is possible with the right attitude in place.
Advising the Tinubu’s administration, Odo said, “Let’s get this legislation passed and implement it. I think if the administration can achieve that in the shortest possible time, it will be a plus.
“It is not late for the government to say enough is enough to corrupt activities that have impacted negatively in Nigeria and across all sectors. It is not late if the government decides to wake up and say enough is enough. Let’s give the right attention whistleblowing deserves”.
Odo identified the lack of political will by previous administrations as a major hindrance to getting legislation that can adequately protect whistleblowers in Nigeria while urging anti-graft agencies of the government not to relent in taking action against numerous petitions and investigations brought to their notice by Nigerians every now and then.
“Lack of political will is a major hindrance, but it’s not supposed to be because when you have the National Assembly that has a majority of members from one political party, and you have the Executives on the same side of the political will, is there, Whistleblower Bill stands a high chance of being passed.
“if today we go to the EFCC or ICPC, you will see tons of petitions written by Nigerians; even though there is no whistleblower protection law, these anti-corruption agencies still receive petitions from courageous Nigerians, but the citizens can only stop at petitioning, and the onus of the investigation lies with these agencies and how fast they carry out these investigations is a story for another day,” He lamented.
On her part, the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, AFRICMIL, Nkechi Ugwu, asked President Tinubu to take advantage of whistleblowing in tackling public sector corruption and consolidate his promises to Nigerians.
Worried by the malfeasance of public funds by political leaders, Ugwu urged the Federal Government to leverage the advocacy for whistleblowing law to block leakages in government, especially as Nigeria is struggling with the economy.
Ugwu said: “My advice is that President Tinubu should take advantage of this bill to consolidate his ‘renewed hope agenda’ because a lot has been happening regarding the economy. Nigerians are facing a lot more hardship since the removal of the subsidy. Nigeria is also known for borrowing, so President Tinubu needs to leverage the passing of the Whistleblower Bill.”
She encouraged citizens to have a positive mindset on whistleblowing and also lauded the efforts of civil society groups in advocating for whistleblower protection laws over the years.
“If Nigeria goes bad, it affects everybody. So when we come out to blow the whistle, we should come out with all honesty and commitment, seeing it as a responsibility rather than looking out for the money. The reward is just a motivation,” Ugwu stated.
Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.
The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.
News
Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.
In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.
Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.
“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.
Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.
“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.
Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.
“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.
“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.
Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.
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