By Nnenna Okonkwo
The Whistleblowing Advocacy Coalition has unveiled the Abuja Declaration on whistleblowing legislation and whistleblower protection in Nigeria to mark this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day.
This unveiling took place during a press conference held at the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) in Abuja on Thursday, December 8, 2022.
The programs manager, AFRICMIL, Kola Ogunbiyi, who read the press statement explained the purpose of the press conference and the plan to push for a whistleblower protection law.
“Our convergence today is to use this year’s international anti-corruption day to reaffirm our resolve to fill this yawning gap exemplified in the absence in the absence of a whistleblower legislation that offers protection for citizens who blow the whistle”.
He said the coalition had identified one of the gaps in the fight against corruption in Nigeria as the undue delay in putting in place a framework for the protection of citizens who are courageous enough to report corruption and illegalities in society. “And so, our specific mission as a group is to strengthen advocacy for the passage of the whistleblower protection bill and its enactment as a law before the Muhammadu Buhari winds up next year,” he stated.
A journalist at the Daily Independent newspaper and member of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Jide Oyekunle, in his remarks, suggested that civil society organizations should be prepared to take a step further by holding series of peaceful street protests in order to get the government’s attention concerning the demand for a whistleblower legislation in Nigeria.
Adaobi Obiaunmuo, programme manager at Progressive Impact Orgsnization for Community Development (PRIMORG) said “citizens need to do their part, they need to be willing to speak up and not be an advocate for corruption, and if there is need to go out into the streets we definitely will”.
Isaac Botti, who represented Social Action at the event, remarked that the coalition members would be monitoring development around the whistleblower protection bill and would follow through with whatever action is needed to push for the passage of the bill. He also urged journalists to use their platform to push for the passage of the bill into law.
The Abuja declaration features two major highlights. The first is the recognition of whistleblowing as not just a mechanism for addressing fraud and illegalities, but also as a right of freedom of expression which is a fundamental human right that needs to be protected. Second is the unanimous endorsement of a strong coalition of duty bearers to intensify the campaign for an urgent realization of protection legislation.
