The Global Peace Development (GPD), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has tasked the Delta government on the need to legislate a whistleblowing policy to preserve and strengthen transparency for the common good of the people.

The GPD executive director, Ebruke Esike, made the call in Asaba on Saturday, at a one-day training for media practitioners and social media influencers on the Whistle-Blower Protection Bill 2024.

The theme was “Citizen Engagement and Capacity Strengthening for Reinforced Governance and Social Accountability,” supported by the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK Aid.

Mr Esike said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration has shown commitment, prudence, and accountability in the management of public funds, particularly by instituting a whistleblowing policy and releasing a phone line for the public.

He said, though, the government’s intention was commendable; the whistleblowing policy should be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for legislation and subsequent passage for the governor’s assent to make it a law.

According to Mr Esike, the state has received an enormous amount from the federal allocation from January 2025 to date.

“These receipts are huge and enough to transform the landscape of the entire state if properly monitored via whistleblowing.
“But the people are afraid to report noticeable flaws because there is no legislation to back them up and protect them from harm,” he said.

He noted that the release of the whistleblowing line to the public was not enough to prompt people to report poorly executed projects and corruption in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without threats to their lives.

Mr Esike said the whistleblowing law would protect all sectors and ensure punishment for those who provide false information.

He noted that the need to protect the identity of the whistleblower was sacrosanct and that an adequate reward system be guaranteed to enable them to become effective.

Mr Esike, therefore, urged the traditional media and social media influencers to push the project and ensure the transmission of the whistleblowers bill to the State House of Assembly for legislation.

The GPD executive director stated that, with PFM Law 2022 in place, it was time to implement the law.

“Whistleblower has many implications in terms of development, accountability, and stewardship for the people, and that is why we are calling, and it is not without the support of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK Aid,” Mr Esike stated.

Speaking, Churchill Oyowe, Delta council chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), assured of the media support through media engagement, public sensitisation, articles, and community engagement.

He said the training was expository, adding that legislating the whistleblowing policy was the way to effectively ensure development spread across the state commensurate with the amount of resources accruing to the state.

“We shall explore the social media space through content creation, storytelling, and hashtag campaigns, as well as monitor and counter oppositions of the bill,” Mr Oyowe added.

(NAN)