Nigeria Will Protect, Reward Whistle-blowers, Says Minister

The Federal Government at the weekend re -assured whistle-blowers who provide information that leads to the recovery of stolen funds or assets that they will be adequately rewarded.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who reiterated this.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday  said the Federal Government will protect the identity of all whistle-blowers, whether in the public or the private sector, and also ensure that the
information they provide is kept secret.

”For those who may have suffered any backlash as a result of the
information they provide, their cases will be reviewed and appropriate mitigating actions taken,” he said.

The Minister said the assurance followed the presentations made to the Presidential Assets Recovery Committee by concerned citizens and groups about the safety of whistle-blowers.

”Whistle-blowers have nothing to fear, because the committee has put in place the necessary measures to safeguard those who give useful information. As a matter of fact, whistle-blowers have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” he said.

Mohammed said any whistle-blower whose information leads to the recovery of up to 1 billion Naira will receive five percent  of the amount; that the reward for any amount between 1 and 5 billion Naira will be five percent for the first 1 billion Naira and four percent  of the remaining 4 billion Naira, and that any amount over 5 billion Naira will attract 2.5 percent  reward.

”For example, if a whistle-blower provides information leading to the recovery of 10 billion Naira, he or she will receive 5 percent  of the first 1 billion Naira, 4% of the next 4 billion Naira and 2.5 percent  of the remaining 5 billion Naira.

”What we have done by making this information public is to reassure potential whistle-blowers that the plan to reward is real. We are not just saying we will pay all whistle-blowers, but we are letting them know in advance what they are entitled to, once the information they provide leads to the recovery of looted funds,” he said.
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