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Buhari plans to strengthen whistleblowers – Presidency

Published

9 years ago

April 20, 2017

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has is doubling down on strengthening the whistle blower policy considering how the policy has aided the war against corruption so far.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu told State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja.

“The government is considering empowering the mechanism by either bringing it under the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC or some other body to imbue the process with a strategic national purpose.

“In a word, government thinks that the whistle blower mechanism is too important to be left without a strategic, national direction,’’ he said.

Shehu commended the zeal and patriotism of Nigerians for responding positively to the whistle blower incentive policy, which was intended to expose hidden looted funds.

“When the citizens realise they are victims of corruption, they may feel encouraged to join the efforts to expose looted funds,’’ her added.

He explained that the huge and incredible amounts of looted funds being recovered by EFCC and the whistle blower efforts “is a revelation about the mindless, callous and reckless scale on which Nigeria had been robbed by unpatriotic and egregiously selfish public officials.”

ALSO SEE: 10 highlights about FG’s whistleblowing policy

He said the election of President Buhari in 2015 was a divine intervention in response to the desperate cries of Nigerians for urgent change.

The presidential spokesman maintained that stealing by officials under a democratic government at the expense of people’s welfare “is worst betrayal of voters’ mandate’’.

He also hinted government will also take a look into blowing the whistle on illegal arms possession by the powerful.

“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.

“Those 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,” he said.