Okomu Oil rewards whistle blowers

The Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc has an established whistle blowing policy, which has been communicated, to all her employees, those who do business with the company and members of the neighbouring communities. Numerous people have benefited from the policy since its formulation in 2010 and in an event to mark this year’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) day, the Managing Director, Dr Graham Hefer, stated that the company had spent millions of Naira over a period of time to reward whistle blowers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of criminals plotting crimes against the company.

The establishment of the whistle blowing policy in Okomu has led to a drastic reduction in the incidence of theft in the Agro-allied company which is situated in Ovia South West and Ovia North East LGA’s, respectively. Whistleblowers can choose to remain anonymous if they so wish and confidentiality of the whistleblower is paramount to the company.

The Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC again made good her promise recently in this regard when the company rewarded the Vigilante Group in Mariongioba community, otherwise known as AT& P, who had apprehended 5 people suspected to have consistently stolen Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) from the company’s plantation. So far one person has been sentenced to fourteen months imprisonment as a result of this theft. On receiving the reward from the MD of Okomu, the Head of The Vigilante Group thanked the MD and warned any would be criminal not to come to their community, as they would not hesitate to take action against them.