Government

FG Receives 400,000 Alerts From Whistle Blowers

Published

7 years ago

October 7, 2017

FG Receives 400,000 Alerts From Whistle Blowers

The Federal Government is in receipt of no fewer than 400,000 telephone short messages from whistleblowers on looted funds, Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, said yesterday.

Mohammed told The Nation on Saturday that contrary to speculations that the Whistleblowers Policy might be on the wane, it is thriving quietly and the “discreet but vigorous support from Nigerians” can ensure eventual return of more billions of looted funds.

He said Federal Government’s optimism rests on Nigerians’ massive embrace of the policy.

A web portal, http://whistle.finance.gov.ng, has been launched by the Whistleblower Unit (WBU), a multi-agency team, resident in Federal Ministry of Finance Headquarters for the recording of information on violation of financial regulations, mismanagement of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud and theft that is deemed to be in the interest of the public.

Giving a breakdown of citizens’ preferred means of communicating tips on the existence of looted funds, Alhaji Mohammed advised more Nigerians to “take advantage of the Federal Government’s Whistleblower Policy even though it is clear that people’s interest is being sustained.

”As of 21st September this year, we had received a number of communication totaling 2940 and this includes enquiries , tips, compliments and general advice from the public.

”We have received, through our Whistleblower website, 208 enquiries , and 1580 telephone calls.

Government, he added, has recently received 35 classified tips and another set of 546 unclassified ones.

”We have received 79 tips through telephone calls; 413, 213 through SMS and 145 through our websites.

”Through e-mails, we received 109,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed also said that after distillation processes by various finance, security, legal and law enforcement teams indicate that of all the tips received and reviewed, 321 are poised to yield results.

”From all the tips received and reviewed, only 321 have been deemed to be actionable. These are tips that can be worked upon for further action,” he stated.

However, he said that he could not give specific information on any amount involved and payments made to whistleblowers thus far.

Mohammed said in February that the policy had yielded $151million and N8billion in looted funds.

He said at that time that the looted funds were recovered via the clues provided by three whistleblowers who gave actionable information to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.

The biggest amount of $136,676,600.51 was recovered from an account in a commercial bank, where the money was kept under an apparently fake account name.

This was followed by the recovery of N7 billion and $15 million from another person and 1 billion Naira from yet another.

This is besides the $9.2 million in cash traced to a former Group Managing Director of the NNPC. In all,over $160million had been recovered in February.

Later in June,the Federal Ministry of Finance said it had paid N375.8 million to 20 providers of information under the Whistleblower Policy.

The payment, according to the ministry ,was in respect of recovered assets that had been declared free of legal disputes or litigation by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

”This payment, which is the first under the Whistleblower Policy, underscores the commitment of the President Muhmmadu Buhari-led administration in meeting obligations to information providers under the Whistleblower Policy,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Whistleblower Policy was recently amended to include the introduction of a formal legal agreement between information providers and the Federal Government.

The amendment is aimed at ensuring the protection of the identity of information providers during the payment process.

The Whistleblower Unit (WBU) is the first line of response to whistleblower information, where initial review is undertaken before cases are forwarded to the relevant investigative agencies.

Up Next

Suspend Kachikwu, Baru, Senate Panel Chair Tells Buhari

Don't Miss

Ivory Coast Starts Alstom Rail Talks After Hyundai Edged Out

Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

Comments

Government

Soludo Reportedly Fires Commissioner Over Poor Performance

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has reportedly sacked the state Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu.

Sources close to the embattled commissioner revealed that Nwosu was relieved of his duties over alleged poor performance.

Another source claimed that the commissioner resigned and was not sacked.

Feelers from the Ministry of Information in the state have it that the commissioner have already dusted his table and moved on.

“As I speak to you, Mr Paul Nwosu has packed his bag, and we’re just waiting for the news to be announced by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Christian Aburime,” a source in the ministry confided in Investors King on Tuesday.

However, the governor’s Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, in a mobile phone conversation said that he is not aware of Nwosu’s sack but promised to get back to the media if anything like that happens.

As at the time of filing this report, it was not yet clear if the commissioner would be redeployed to another ministry.

Meanwhile, feelers have it that Dr. Law Mefor, a veteran communications strategist and a notable All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) member, has been lined up as a replacement.

Government

Edo Governorship: Anger, Worry as APC, PDP Candidates Shun Debate

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

There is raging worry among major political stakeholders in Edo State over the refusal of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ighodalo Asue, and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo to honour debate organised in the state recently ahead of the Saturday’s governorship election.

Asue and Okpebholo failed to show up at a governorship debate organised by the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in conjunction with the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) for the party flag bearers to tell the people of the state their plans if elected to govern the South-South state.

Investors King gathered that only the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata, his Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) candidate, Patience Ndidi-Key and the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) Derek Izedonmwen were present at the debate.

Speaking at the debate event, Akpata condemned in strong terms the absence of the other candidates, describing the failure of the APC and PDP candidates to honour the invitation to debate as an outright disregard not only to the NUJ and BON but Edo people.

Urging residents to call out the candidates and use their votes to do justice to them at the poll, Akpata, who claimed the two candidates hoped on violence and manipulations to win the governorship election and that is why they did not show up, also charged media organisations and executives to condemn the action by the two candidates in their editorials, writing, among others.

He wondered why a candidate should intend to govern a state without coming to tell the people what he has for them, saying, “Asue Ighodalo comes from the private sector as I do, but if I may ask, as chairman of the board of several companies, did he employ any intending employee without an interview? This is simple logic.”

Also frowning at the refusal of the candidates to show up for the debate, Olugbenga Edema Campaign Organisation of the NNPP in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, Olugbenga Edema, berated Asue and Okpebholo.

While describing the absence of PDP and APC candidates from the debate as an affront and disrespect to the electorate, Edema maintained that the action of the duo denies the people, particularly the electorate, their fundamental right to evaluate the policies and visions of those seeking to govern them.

In a statement signed and issued by the spokesperson of the campaign organisation, Oluwatosin Ayeni, it was emphasised that the refusal of the candidate to participate in the debate was a lack of respect for the voters, who are entitled to assess those seeking public office.

While urging the people of Edo State to take a stand, Edema called for the rejection of the two parties at the poll on Saturday, adding that such impunity on the electorate by the two political parties would not be tolerated in Ondo State.

Similarly, the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) condemned the development and called on Nigerians to insist that those aspiring to govern them must be made accountable to them.

The Executive Secretary of NEDG, Eddie Emessiri said their non-appearance was unwarranted because ample time was giving to all candidates.

Government

Stakeholders Lead Campaigns for More Involvement of Women in Nigerian Politics

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Concerned stakeholders across the globe have commenced advocacies for improved participation and involvement of women in politics in Nigeria.

The stakeholders including UN women, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies and some female politicians in Ebonyi State argued that Nigeria tends to grow better when a sizeable number of females are included in governance.

As part of measures to achieving this aim, the organizations organised a one-day advocacy and sensitization workshop in Ebonyi North East State Constituency with the theme: “Advance Women’s Political Participation and Representation.”

At the event held in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on Tuesday, the Coordinator of UN Women, Prof. Arthur Ikeme lamented that despite the gender equality campaigns, there are still low participation of women in politics and this motivated them to carry out sensitization visits to the South East geopolitical zone and Ebonyi State was chosen as the first point of call.

Ikeme commended the lawmaker, Chinyere Nwogbaga for her ingenuity and thanked the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru for putting women in positions of authority in his administration.

Nwogbaga who facilitated the programme recounted the hurdles she faced while seeking political position adding that women are being marginalised despite their efficiency and dedication to duties.

Nwogbaga who is the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, is representing Ebonyi North East Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

She explained that she organised the programme through the sponsorship of the UN Women to advocate and intensify the involvement of women in politics noting that women have proven to be better in handling positions of authority if given the chance.

Rendering account of her stewardship, Nwogbaga said she has co-sponsored several key bills into law, installed street lights in each of the seven wards in her Constituency, secured health insurance for more than 100 elderly and vulnerable individuals, drilled hand pump boreholes to provide portable water, established a foundation to offer free services to the needy, distributed bag of fertilizers to rural farmers to boost food availability, awarded scholarships to indigent students as well as payment of WAEC fees.

The lawmaker commended the state governor for his giant stride in putting women in positions of authority like the State Deputy Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, Clerk of the State Assembly and members in the State Executive Council and eulogized the wife of the state governor, Mary Maudline Nwifuru for her BERWO programme which has given women great sense of belonging.

In her remarks, the chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel in South East, Tonia Adol Awam called for the enhancement and strict implementation of the violence against persons Law (VAPP) to allow more women participation in politics.