The Global Peace Development (GPD), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has called on the Delta State Government to legislate the whistleblowing policy to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
The Executive Director of GPD, Ebruke Esike, made the appeal in Asaba yesterday during a one-day training for media practitioners and social media influencers on the Whistle-Blower Protection Bill 2024.
The training, themed “Citizen Engagement and Capacity Strengthening for Reinforced Governance and Social Accountability”, was supported by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of UK Aid.
Esike commended the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for demonstrating commitment, prudence, and accountability in the management of public funds, particularly through the introduction of the whistleblowing policy and a dedicated public phone line.
He, however, stressed that while the initiative was commendable, the policy should be transmitted to the Delta State House of Assembly for legislation and eventual passage for gubernatorial assent. “The state has received an enormous amount from the Federation Allocation from January 2025 to date. These receipts are substantial enough to transform the landscape of the state if properly monitored via whistleblowing,” he said.
Esike added that citizens are reluctant to report irregularities because there is currently no legislation to protect them from possible retaliation.
“The release of the whistleblowing line alone is insufficient to encourage reporting of poorly executed projects or corruption in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) without fear of threats to life,” he said.
He emphasised that a whistleblowing law would safeguard all sectors and provide penalties for those who submit false information. He also stressed that protecting the identity of whistleblowers is critical, participation. “The bill will protect whistleblowers but also punish those who provide false information. With a proper reward system, society benefits because everyone becomes a watchdog over government projects, properties, and funds,” Esike said. He urged both traditional media and social media influencers to champion the project and ensure the Whistleblower Protection Bill is transmitted to the State House of Assembly for legislation.
Esike explained: “The aim of this media training is to acquaint media practitioners with the draft Whistleblower Protection Bill, which was transmitted to the Delta Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in 2024. We sent the bill in February 2024, and the governor, being a listening leader, introduced a whistleblower policy with dedicated lines. But we do not know how much has been disbursed, how many are benefiting, or how many reports have been made.
“Those who proposed this bill believe that once it is enacted by the House of Assembly and signed into law, it will provide stronger protection. It will also complement the Public Finance Management (PFM) Law 2022, passed by the governor during his tenure as Speaker of the State House of Assembly.”
According to Esike, the PFM Law 2022 is ready for implementation, but its effectiveness is currently limited without the Whistleblowing Protection Bill.
“The governor also supports this, and we are urging that the bill be legislated. Whistleblowing has significant implications for development, accountability, and stewardship of public resources,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Delta Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Churchill Oyowe, pledged media support through public sensitisation, articles, and community engagement. He described the training as “expository” and stressed that legislating the whistleblowing policy is key to ensuring equitable development across the state.
Oyowe added: “A sensitisation strategy will be implemented through churches, mosques, media houses, town hall meetings, and social media platforms via content creation, storytelling, and hashtag campaigns. We will also monitor and counter opposition to the bill.”
