Mr Abu Simon of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Tuesday, described the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government as a veritable tool in the fight against corruption.
Simon, a Deputy Director, Reforms and Coordination Service Improvement, stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
He, however, said that the effectiveness of the policy depends on how citizens engaged the mechanism in reporting corrupt practices in their communities.
He commended the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) for mobilising Community-Based Organisations and grassroots Civil Society Organisations on whistle blowing.
According to him, citizens engagement and involvement is critical to winning the anti-corruption war in the country.
He added that the whistle blowing should be embraced as a tool to battle corruption by all citizens.
“Corruption is stupendously high in the country affecting every community, including households and religious organisations.
“The money being lost through corruption could transform this country for good, as such, everyone must be involved.
“We must continue to talk about it and all citizens should join the crusade and report all forms of corruption, using the whistle blowing mechanism.”
The official stressed the need for reorientation to discourage Nigerians from seeing corruption through the lens of ethnicity and religion, adding that corruption must be seen as a crime against humanity.
NAN reports that AFRICMIL in partnership with Connected Development had begun series of community mobilisation to enlist community-based organisations and grassroots civil societies in fighting corruption at community levels.
The goal, according to AFRICMIL Coordinator, Dr Chido Onumah, was to engage the community-based orgainsations to use the whistle blowing mechanism to demand for accountability and expose corruption at grassroots. (NAN)
