Following concerns of the growing spate of corruption in the civil service despite reforms to enhance transparency and accountability in the public sector, Coalition of Civil Society have called for the passage of the whistle blowing law to tackle the menace.
Of concern to them is that in 2019 alone, report by the Auditor General of the Federation revealed that a whooping N377.5billion was misappropriated by the 234 Ministries, Department and Agencies was misappropriated.
They worried that despite several reforms instituted to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public sector since the country returned to civil rule since 1999, corruption still thrives in the country as it continue to permeate every sector of the economy.
The coalition during an Accountability Summit organized by the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLS I) yesterday in Abuja stressed the need to urgently enact the Whistle blower bill to be complemented by the deployment of electronic portals for independent and confidential reporting of infractions adding that there must be discreet and robust mechanism for investigating and acting on the claims.
They further harped on the need to implement merit-based criteria for appointments and promotions within governmental bodies to foster trust by ensuring qualified individuals hold positions, promoting competence in public administration.
The coalition include Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), BudgIT Foundation, Connected Development (CODE), Dataphyte, Agora Policy, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Step Up Nigeria, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation in Abuja on Thursday.
The Summit themed “Institutionalizing Accountability for Effective Public Administration in Nigeria” focused on social, financial, political, legal, administrative, and ethical accountability systems.
The Executive Director at Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), Olusegun Elemo in his opening remarks, affirmed the need to also ensure public administrators are accountable in implementing their policies to advance the common good and effect positive change in the society.
Olusegun stated that “Nigerians elected the 7th consecutive civilian government in February 2023 and all national and subnational governments have begun implementing policies targeting different sectors of our national life.
According to him, some of these policies are having untold hardship for citizens with many now looking for when the benefits of these policies will start to materialize. Therefore, it is important to make sure that policy actors are held accountable to ensure objectives of their policies are achieved to improve citizens’ welfare”.
Other issues, the CSOs resolved in a communique is the need to Empower Oversight Mechanisms: Strengthen regulators and oversight bodies by providing necessary resources, authority, and autonomy for effective monitoring and enforcement. Enhance their oversight capabilities to ensure efficient functioning.
Other speakers at the Summit include Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms; Engr. Yabagi Sani, National Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC); Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Minister of Justice and Attorney-General for the Federation; Ms. Patience Oniha, Director-General, Debt Management Office; and Mr. Gabriel Okeowo, Country Director at BudgIT Foundation.
