The Federal Government’s whistleblowing policy, introduced in 2016 under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari to expose corruption, has led to the recovery of over N800 billion in looted funds, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, has disclosed.

Uzoka-Anite made the revelation in Sokoto during a one-day nationwide sensitisation programme on the implementation of the Whistleblowing Policy in Nigeria.

She explained that the sensitisation initiative was designed to identify existing gaps in the policy’s implementation and develop a realistic and achievable roadmap for strengthening it going forward.

The minister acknowledged the challenges confronting the policy but stressed that the Federal Government remains undeterred.

She called on citizens to collaborate with relevant authorities in exposing corruption at all levels and urged the Sokoto State Government to domesticate and institutionalise the whistleblowing policy at the state level.

In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Musa, described whistleblowers as guardians of integrity rather than mere informants.

He emphasised the need to strengthen mechanisms that protect them, noting that their role is critical in exposing wrongdoing and safeguarding public resources.

Also speaking, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, represented by the State Commissioner of Finance, Muhammad Jabbi Shagari, reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for public embezzlement.

He assured that the state government would continue to complement federal efforts to strengthen the whistleblowing policy.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s “Money or Work” stance, which he said has kept public office holders and contractors accountable, adding that his government remains committed to delivering good governance to the people of the state.

Delivering a paper titled “The Benefits of Whistleblowing Policy in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria,” the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, noted that public enthusiasm for whistleblowing has waned in recent times.

Olukoyedr who was represented by Kamilu Ibrahim Gebi, the Sokoto EFCC Zonal Directorate Head of Public Affairs, observed that although the policy initially enjoyed widespread public support, particularly through the agency has diminished over time, making review, modification and realignment necessary to reinvigorate its impact on the anti-corruption drive.

Olukoyede also urged the National Assembly to urgently pass legislation that would provide adequate protection for individuals who risk their lives to expose corruption. (BusinessDay)