Federal Givernment of Nigeria Spells Out Benefits that Await Whistle Blowers
The Federal
Government of Nigeria has detailed the astonishing benefits that await
whistleblowers in the current fight against corruption and recovery of looted
funds. It also affirms maximum protection for all whistle blowers.
According to Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, any whistle-blower who
gives information that leads to the recovery of up to 1 billion Naira will
receive 5 per cent of the amount recovered. Thus, the reward for any recovered
amount between 1 and 5 billion Naira will be 5 per cent for the first #1
billion and 4 per cent of the remaining #4 billion. Any amount above 5 billion
Naira will attract 2.5% reward for such whistle blower. According to
computation by the News Agency of Nigeria, a whistleblower that leads the
Country to the recovery of cash or assets worth N5billion, will earn
N210million as reward.
”For instance, if
a whistleblower gives information that
leads to the recovery of 10 billion Naira, he or she will receive 5 per cent of
the first one billion Naira, 4% of the next four billion Naira and 2.5% of the
remaining five billion Naira.
The Minister
said, the essence of making this information public is to reassure potential
whistle-blowers and affirm that the plan to reward is real. “We are not just
saying we will pay all whistle-blowers, but we are letting them know in advance
what they are entitled to, once the information provided by them leads to the
recovery of looted funds”.
He also gave the
assurance that the federal government will protect the identities of all
whistleblowers, whether in the private or the public sector, and will ensure
that the information given by them are kept secret.
”Whistleblowers
have nothing to fear, because committee has been put in place to ensure that the
necessary measures are taken to safeguard the lives of those who give useful
information. In fact, whistle-blowers have everything to gain and nothing to
lose,” the minister said.
”For those who
may have suffered any backlash as a result of the information provided by them,
their cases will be reviewed and appropriate actions taken to mitigate it,” he
said.
News has it that,
a civil servant working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sacked after
exposing some theft in an agency of the ministry. His case is currently being
reviewed by the Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, following the directive of the Vice-President
Yemi Osinbajo.
Alhaji Lai
Mohammed further said the assurance of protection followed the presentations
made to the Presidential Assets Recovery Committee by concerned citizens and
groups about the safety of lives and properties of whistle-blowers.
”Whistleblowers however
have nothing to fear, because the committee has put in place the necessary
measures to safeguard those who give useful information that lead to the
recovery of looted funds. As a matter of fact, whistle-blowers have everything
to gain and nothing to lose,” he said.
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