The draft bill of the much talked about whistleblowing policy will be presented for consideration at the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting anytime this month, The Nation learnt.
Dr. Chido Onumah, Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the occasion of the 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja, with the theme “Uniting the World Against Corruption.”
The Coalition comprises of AFRICMIL, Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, (CISLAC); Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action); International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Amnesty International Nigeria, and Orderpaper Advocacy Initiative (Orderpaper).
Onumah said the draft bill had gone through processes and it is at the last stage before transmitting it to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
AFRICMIL Coordinator who was represented by Kolawole Ogunbiyi, Programme Manager, explained that the bill had the contribution of all stakeholders.
He also said the bill was coordinated by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and had been perfected by the Ministry of Justice.
According to him: “We are aware from our latest report from the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning which manages the whistleblowing policy that a draft whistleblower bill would this month be considered at a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting and sent to the National Assembly for passage. The coalition looks forward to this meeting and hopes that the FEC acts in the interest of our country.”
He, however, said the coalition would not so much wait for the government but commenced the use of the Abuja declaration as a tool of engagement with all tiers of government and the National Assembly.
Onumah argued that the Abuja declaration of Action on whistleblowing legislation and whistleblower protection in Nigeria affirmed that whistleblowing is a fundamental right that needs to be fully protected.
He stressed, “whistleblowing is not just a mechanism for addressing fraud and illegalities, but also as a right of freedom of expression which is a fundamental human right that needs to be fully protected. People have a right to both speaking up and speaking out without hindrance.”
