Okays new whistle blowing policy
By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new whistle blowing policy, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said yesterday.
Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting in Abuja, the minister said the new whistle blowing policy is aimed at strengthening the current fight against financial crimes and corruption by the present administration.
According to her, the whistle blowing policy would be implanted by the Federal Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The minister told reporters those who provide information that leads to the recovery of stolen funds would be entitled to about five per cent of the recovered funds.
She said the purpose of the initiative is to increase exposure of financial or financial-related crimes, improved level of public confidence in public entities, enhance transparency and accountability in the management of public funds and improve the country’s Open Government Ranking and Ease of Doing Business Indicators.
The minister said whistle blowers are expected to report mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud, collecting or soliciting bribes, diversion of revenues, fraudulent and unapproved payments, splitting of contracts and procurement fraud (kickbacks and over-invoicing etc.).
She said the initiative was a temporary measure by government to address corruption in government circles pending the passage into the whistle blowing bill by the National Assembly.
