A constitutional
lawyer, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, on Monday urged the Federal Government to make its
policy on whistleblowing a law for proper enforcement.
Ubani told newsmen
in Lagos that the policy would be very effective in the recovery of looted
funds when it becomes a law.
The Federal
Government on December 21, 2016, approved a new policy on whistleblowing that
aims to encourage Nigerians to report financial and other related crimes to
relevant authorities.
The policy offers
whistleblowers whose revelations lead to the recovery of money up to five per
cent of the recovered sum.
The federal
government on Sunday said it recovered another $151 million and N8 billion
looted funds from three sources through whistleblowers.
“I’m very happy the
government came up with this policy. The policy is very good and timely for us
as a nation.
“This is just a
government pronounced policy; government should go further to enact it into law
because it is when it is enacted into law that it can be enforced in a court of
law.
“As a pronounced
policy, I do not know the efficacy or how it will be enforced.
“I hear the
Whistleblowing Bill is pending before the National Assembly; they should speed
up its enactment into law for proper enforcement and to encourage more
whistleblowers,” Ubani said.
He urged the
government to keep its promise of non-disclosure of the identity of
whistleblowers and in dispensing money to individuals who gave out information
without delay.
The constitutional
lawyer also urged the Federal Government to reform the banking industry in
order to check money laundering and looting in the country.
“Banks in Nigeria
have not helped our economy; they aid and abet money laundering.
“The Minister of
Information said that fake names were used in opening some bank accounts and I
wonder how come the banks did not process genuine documents for such persons
making such deposit,’’ Ubani said. He also urged the government to change the
policy of appointing a banker as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) for efficiency sake. “The Federal Government must reform the banking
industry by changing the policy of appointing a banker as the CBN governor
because the man in charge will continue to protect his own. “The banks too
should support government’s efforts by reporting any suspicious bank accounts
to the appropriate authority,” he said.
On lawyers who defend individuals involved in treasury looting and money
laundering, Ubani advised lawyers to shun unethical practices and desist from
manipulating the system in favour of criminals.
0 Comments