FG Introduces New Whistle Blower Bill
The Federal Government, on Wednesday confirmed the introduction of a new Whistle Blower draft bill.
It also lamented that the existing Whistle-blowing policy launched on December 21, 2016, is “losing momentum.”
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after this week’s Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Launched in December 2016 by the Buhari-led Government, the Whistleblower Protection Act, facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Finance, provides legal cover for individuals who voluntarily expose acts of fraud, bribery, looted government funds and assets, financial misconduct and other forms of corruption.
The policy also rewards a whistleblower who provides information about any financial mismanagement or tipoff about stolen funds to the ministry’s portal with 2.5 – 5 per cent of the funds recovered by the Nigerian government.
Speaking after this week’s FEC meeting, Ahmed made it known that the Council approved the draft bill to strengthen the fight against corruption and protect whistleblowers that provide helpful information to the FG.
She said: “The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented several memos today. The first is the draft whistleblower bill for 2022. This memo has been reviewed by the Council and approved with a provision to ensure alignment with the Evidence Act”.
