The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says its operations are hampered by the executive and legislature.

This was disclosed by Bolaji Owasanoye, ICPC chair, during a whistleblowing and whistleblower protection town hall meeting organised by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) in Calabar.

Represented by Kalu Ugbo, ICPC’s acting resident commissioner in Cross River, Mr Owasanoye said the commission was independent and carried out its responsibilities according to the law.

He noted that sometimes, the commission was challenged because the whistleblower policy had not yet become law.

“The whistleblower policy is yet to be a law in Nigeria, but it has aspects that cover the protection of a whistleblower because it is a risky undertaking that can put someone’s life or family at stake,” stated the ICPC boss. “Another challenge for ICPC is that the act that established the commission only empowers it to investigate and prosecute wrongdoings when there is a petition, or someone blows the whistle.”

Mr Owasanoye added, “We are trying to amend the act so that when ICPC sees a wrongdoing, it can go against the perpetrator rather than wait until petitions are forwarded.”

Similarly, Bawa Saidu, commander of the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), noted that 90 per cent of their prosecution and conviction was due to whistleblowing.

Mr Saidu, who said whistleblowing was essential in the fight against corruption, noted that the whistleblower’s protection must be strengthened to encourage more whistleblowers to support the commission.

He said the anti-graft agency had an internal mechanism that ensured a whistleblower’s safety and monitored its operatives’ activities to ensure high standards at all times.

AFRICMIL coordinator Chido Onumah said his organisation had taken the whistleblower project to the country’s six geopolitical zones to sensitise the people to the need to demand accountability and challenge wrong-doings.

Mr Onumah said they were aware that among other incentives for whistleblowing, the most crucial was protection.

“There is no way people will be motivated to engage in whistleblowing if they know they will not be protected from victimisation for reporting wrongdoings; not even the promise of reward is strong enough motivation to blow the whistle,” he said.

He said although the Federal Executive Council approved the whistleblowing and whistleblower protection draft bill by AFRICMIL and other stakeholders last December, it has not been passed into law.

He added that they were working with partners and stakeholders in the public sector to ensure the bill was passed into law soon. 

(NAN)