Whistleblowers have urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that he strengthened and also implemented the whistleblowing policies initiated by the immediate past administration.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the group, George Uboh Whistleblowers Network (GUWN), said events surrounding the arrest and detention of the suspended former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emeifele, have revealed the urgent need for the Nigerian government to support a vibrant and reliable Whistleblowers network.
The group said, “Emefiele’s daring move to run for the highest office in the hand while holding sway as the CBN governor “is unprecedented, a complete deviation from the global norm, a flagrant disregard of the sanctity of the apex bank universally and a wanton descretion of the exalted office of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
Leader of the Network, Dr. George Uboh, noted that, had past administrations in Nigeria put in place effective whistleblowing laws, more financial crimes allegations would have being established against Emeifele.
Uboh, who said President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the embattled CBN former Governor, was the right step required to salvage the country’s economy, also lamented that he personally suffered injustice, trying to expose some of the fraudulent activities at the CBN.
He stressed that the former CBN governor haven supervised financial policies that brought untold hardship on Nigerians, must be made to give account of his stewardship.
He equally called on President Tinubu to direct anti-graft agencies to work in synergy with Whistleblowers and also ensure full security and protection for them.
According to him, “in order climes, law enforcement agencies work with Whistleblowers, activists, and anti-corruption crusaders to solve crimes, trace stolen funds and of course, in return protect and compensate them”
He further demanded that the President, “Direct law enforcement agencies to work with Whistleblowers in order to solve crimes swifter, trace and recover mind-boggling funds stolen or trapped.
“And implement and strengthen the Whistleblower policy initiated by his predecessor, with an office( not domiciled in any ministry for sake of conflict of interest) to be headed by someone who has suffered the humiliations of whistleblowing thus has the requisite experience to protect Whistleblowers from adverse treatments and compensate them.”