The Federal Government has designed a formula for rewarding any Nigerian that exposes corruption in any form, known as whistleblower.
According to the minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, who dropped this hint on Wednesday shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Presidential Villa, said that the policy is aimed at protecting whistleblowers, adding that five percent of the recovered loot from corrupt public servants would be offered to such Nigerians.
The minister said that the Policy will provide whistleblowing mechanisms and a reward mechanism. She added that it is not only targeted at public servants but also private sector workers.
The Policy is also targeted at strengthening the government’s anti-corruption fight.
The whistleblowing policy is also designed to check fraud in both public and private sectors.
Adeosun said that the policy is to encourage anyone with information about a violation, misconduct or improper activity that impacts negatively on Nigerians and government to report it.
She said that the policy is aimed at:
- increasing exposure of financial or financial related crimes;
- supporting the fight against financial crimes and corruption;
iii. improving level of public confidence in public entities;
- enhancing transparency and accountability in the management of public funds;
- improving Nigeria’s Open Government Ranking and Ease of Doing Business Indicators; and,
- recovering public funds that can be deployed to finance Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit.
According to her, information that can be submitted include:
- mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets (e.g. properties and vehicles);
- financial malpractice or fraud;
- collecting/ soliciting bribes;
- corruption; diversion of revenues;
- fraudulent and unapproved payments;
- splitting of contracts;
- procurement fraud (kickbacks and over-invoicing etc.)
She defined a whistle-blower as any person who voluntarily discloses information in good faith about a possible misconduct or violation that has occurred, is ongoing, or is about to occur.
The minister said that there is a secure online portal where information could be submitted, adding: “if you have already submitted your information, you can also check the status of your report on the portal.”
She said that the policy does not apply to personal matters concerning private contracts or agreements, adding that whistleblowers could submit their information through the online portal by e-mail or by phone.
On whether a whistleblower is entitled to a financial reward, she responded: “it depends.
“If there is a voluntary return of stolen or concealed public funds or assets on the account of the information provided, the whistleblower may be entitled to anywhere between 2.5% (minimum) and 5.0% (maximum) of the total amount recovered.
“You must have provided the government with information it does not already have and could not otherwise obtain from any other publicly available source to the Government.”
Asked if there is protection from false or malicious claims, she said: “yes. A first level review will always be carried out to determine credibility and sufficiency of information received.
“If you report false or misleading information, it will be referred to the enforcement agents for investigation and possible prosecution.”
Adeosun said that government will set up a website and provide a phone number and email for people to use and assured that anonymity will be guaranteed.
The minister said that the new policy was developed by her ministry and that of Justice, saying that it would be presented to the National Assembly for debate and approval. [myad]
