During a town hall meeting in Yola with media and Information Literacy as critical stakeholders in fighting corruption,the acting executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) Ibrahim Magu called on Nigerians to angrily join in fighting corruption to a halt through the Whistle Blowing policy.
As according to him the corruption is killing the economy sectors of the country and only the whistle blowing policy is instilling fear and drastically reducing stealing of government resources.
” Federal Government introduced Whistle Blowing policy in 2016 to enable patriotic citizens report any financial criminal act.
” Since the implementation of the policy it achieved a lot. But most importantly is the fear of amassing and hiding cash created in the hearts of corrupt citizens.
” This has no doubt reduced the craze for stealing government resources and stocking them in unthinkable locations ” Magu said.
He commended Nigerians for their maximum support to the commission toward actualising its primary mandate
In his welcome address, Mr. Chido Onumah, Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) said the core objective of the meeting was to create opportunity for media practitioners and the organisation involved in positive Whistle blower policy and advocate.
Onumah, who was represented by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the programme manager, of the centre, stated that the meeting was part of the centre’s accountability and good governance initiative.
He said the meeting was the fourth in the series as part of AFRICMIL’s Corruption Anonymous project.
” AFRICMIL is a non-governmental organisation that focuses on media, information, research, advocacy and training.
” Our aim is to deploy the opportunity that new media and information technologies offer in tackling social issues ” Onumah said.
He noted that the centre launched the Corruption Anonymous (CORA) project which seeks to engage civil society and Nigerians in general in tackling corruption.
He said the CORA project, was supported by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with the aime at creating awareness about whistleblowing and making Nigerians see the need to adopt whistleblowing as a tool for reducing corruption in the country.
The Director, special project/secretary of PICA,Dr MK Dikwa,MNI,presented a paper title:”The whistleblower policy how far and the way forward”,he called for the need to protect whistle blowers as an effective head way for fighting corruption.
He encouraged Nigerians to play their part by joining the fight through whistle blowing by being vigilant,reporting any suspected case of corruption, encouraging people around them to espouse corrupt activities, they should work with others to ensure transparency and blow the lid on unlawful transactions and be the advocate for a corruption free Nigeria.
“The Nigerian constitution enjoins every citizen in section 24(d) to make positive and useful contribution to the advancement, progress and well -being of the community where he or she resides; and in section 24(e) to render assistance to appropriate and lawful agencies in the maintainance of law and order.” He said
