By Nnenna Okonkwo
Coordinator of the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Dr. Chido Onumah, has called on journalists to promote the culture of whistleblowing as a good governance tool.
Onumah made the call in his welcome address at a one-day workshop for journalists on ‘The Role of Journalists in Promoting Whistleblowing and Whistleblower Protection in Nigeria’ held in Abuja May 16, 2024. The workshop, organized by AFRICMIL in collaboration with PRIMORG and other partners, featured presentations by knowledgeable and experienced resource persons with legal and media backgrounds.
He said the workshop was aimed at enhancing the journalists’knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s whistleblowing policy and the encourage them to join the advocacy for the enactment of a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria.
He emphasized that journalists and whistleblowers are the same as both are dedicated to holding power to account by bringing up the facts.
Onumah urged participants to be interactive and share information on what they know about whistleblowing and whistleblower protection as this will help build a strong resolve to protecting compatriots who become victims of impunity.
Three papers were presented at the workshop. In the first paper, Johnson Oludare, Deputy Director, federal ministry of finance, stated that the relationship between journalism and whistleblowing is mutual, beneficial and an important tool in the fight against corruption and the protection of human rights. He explained the need for journalists to equip themselves with the relevant laws so as to guide and advice whistleblowersaccordingly. According to him, one of the challenges facing the implementation of the whistleblower law is the fact that Nigerians are yet to take ownership of the fight against corruption.
He therefore urged participants and the public in general to speak up when they see wrong doing being perpetuated in their environment and never relent in the fight against corruption.
In the second presentation which reviewed the draft whistleblower protection bill, Godwin Chigbu, also a lawyer and Principal Partner, Godwin Chigbu & Associates, identified the principles of the operation of a proper whistleblower regime which include confidentiality, stand-alone legislation, remedy for reprisal victims, protection against civil and criminal liabilities and other features of an acceptable law.
Chigbu, who is one of the country’s best known legal experts on whistleblowing, gave a detailed structure of the bill which includes but not limited to appointment of the director and other staff of the national office, referral of disclosure, reward and compensation, offences and penalties, amongst others.
Mr. Austine Agbosunremi, executive director, PRIMORG, in his presentation, explained some of the important roles journalists play in promoting the protection of whistleblowers. He also noted that journalists are also whistleblowers who need protection as they are always harassed, incarcerated and sometimes killed while carrying out their duties.
A former journalist with the Guardian Newspapers, RayPowerFM, and AIT among others, Agbonsuremi emphasized that journalists need to build their networks to be effective in their work. He urged media owners to avoid placing journalists in a position that would compromise them. The workshop featured questions, answers and observations during which resource persons and participants freely exchanged thoughts.
