Whistle-blower policy has lost momentum, FG laments

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, lamented that the whistle-blower policy, launched on December 21, 2016 by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance to encourage people to volunteer information about financial misdemeanor, has lost momentum.

Specifically, the policy rewards a whistle-blower who provides information about any financial mismanagement or tip-off about any stolen fund to the ministry’s portal with 2.5 per cent to five per cent of the recovered funds.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, made the disclosure, yesterday, after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to her, the council approved the draft bill to strengthen the fight against corruption and to enable protection for whistle-blowers that provide information for use by government.

She said: “The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented a number of memos today. The first is the draft Whistle-Blower Bill for 2022. This memo has been reviewed by council and approved with a provision to ensure alignment with the Evidence Act.

“The purpose of operationalising and putting in place a whistle-blower bill is to strengthen the fight against corruption and to enable protection for whistle-blowers.”

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