The Nation Newspaper

Tag: whistle blowers

  • NLC calls for legislation to protect whistle- blowers

    NLC calls for legislation to protect whistle- blowers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Thursday in Abuja called on members of the National Assembly to work out a policy to protect whistle blowers.

    President of NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call while briefing newsmen on “Why the anti-corruption war is succeeding in the country.’’

    Wabba said the National Assembly should rise to the challenge immediately, while the courts should ensure speedy disposal of corruption cases.

    He said the on-going revelation on the $2.1 billion arms purchase deal has justified unqualified support for the fight against corruption.

    “The revelations by the former National Security Adviser, his erstwhile Director of Finance, Shuaibu Salisu, which we believe are just the tip of the iceberg, are mind-boggling.

    “This justifies as well as reinforces our call for capital punishment in cases of corruption in public office.

    “With prescription of more stringent punishment for corruption cases, few will dare to go to this extent.

    “Massive corruption in the system is responsible for our lack of development and our present economic woes.’’

    Wabba said Nigerians must be resolute and firm in the support for good governance and fight against corruption.

    He said people should imbibe the culture of accountability by ensuring that public officers were accountable in and out of office.

    Wabba called on the Federal Government to expand the terms of reference of Prof. Itse Sagay Committee to accommodate receiving confidential information on corruption.

    The NLC said that this should be forwarded to anti-corruption agencies for prosecution and recovery.

    He, however, commended Shuaibu Salisu for having the courage to make the revelation, saying that this had assisted in revealing the monumental corruption in the arms deal.

    Wabba also called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent in his war against corruption.

    `We call on the government to, among others, probe the power sector reform programme which has delivered darkness instead of light, in spite of billions of dollars expended on it,’’ he said.

  • Falana to Fed Govt: terminate cases against whistle blowers

    Falana to Fed Govt: terminate cases against whistle blowers

    Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has advised the Federal Government to terminate all pending charges against whistle blowers, saying it is illegal and unconstitutional to use state machinery to harass critics of public officers and private citizens.

    He said any public officer who feels offended by any publication should be advised to sue for defamation.

    Falana gave the advice in his address at the inauguration of the Committee of Human Rights Experts on anti-human rights legislations held yesterday in Abuja.

    The lawyer noted that in the last three weeks, some whistle blowers have been victimised by the police at the instance of certain corrupt public officers.

    Falana reminded the police and anti-graft agencies that, as far back as 1983, the right of Nigerians to criticise public officers without official sanction was upheld by the Court of Appeal, which annulled the offence of sedition in the case of Arthur Nwankwo vs. The State (1985) 6 NCLR 228.

    He quoted the judgment of late Justice Olatawura of the Court of Appeal: “Those who occupy sensitive posts must be prepared to face public criticisms in respect of their office to ensure they are accountable to the electorate. They should not be made to feel they live in an ivory tower and therefore belong to a different class. “They must develop thick skin and where possible, plug their ears with cotton wool if they feel too sensitive or irascible. They are within their constitutional rights to sue for defamation but they should not use the machinery of government to invoke criminal proceedings to gag their opponents, as the freedom of speech guaranteed by our constitution will be meaningless.”

    Falana argued that the rights of Nigerians to expose corruption and access information have been recognised and codified saying “by virtue of Section 28 of the ICPC Act, whistle blowers are protected while the right to access information is protected by Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act”.

  • Kano Speaker seeks protection for whistle blowers

    The Speaker of Kano state House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum has called on members of the National Assembly to enact laws that will protect anti-corruption crusaders, whistle blowers and witnesses who are ready to volunteer information about corruption cases.

    Alhaji Rurum said without a legislation aimed at protecting volunteers of information in corruption cases, the fight against corruption would not achieve the desired impact and results in the country.

    The lawmaker spoke in Abuja Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the sixth National Workshop on Transparency and Accountability for members of State Assembly from the north-west zone of the country.

    He said at the workshop organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, ACAN, that fear of harassment, intimidation, and insecurity occasioned refusal of people from stepping forward to give testimony about corruption cases in courts and before anti-corruption agencies.

    The Speaker said the National Assembly should do more to strengthen the war against corruption to ensure citizens’ protection especially when they are prepared to offer information and testify against people who abuse public trust and engaged in activities that undermined the economy of the country.

    He said members of the state legislators paticipating in the workshop would act as change agents at their various communities to ensure that the crusade against corruption yeild the desired results for the good of the people.

    The Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy, Professor Sola Akinrinade said the workshop was packaged for the legislators as part of the strategy to fight corruption and enhance quality of leadership and service delivery at various leadership levels in the country.

    He said it is imperative for state legislators to play pivotal role in the fight against corruption in the interest of the various communities they are representing and the need to ensure transparency and accountability in the business of governance at the state level.