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Fri, Mar

Anti-Corruption Fight: ECOWAS Charge Parliament For Whistle Blower Protection

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The ECOWAS Commission on Tuesday has charged ECOWAS parliamentarians to hasten laws that will guarantee the protection of whistleblower policy if the sub-region is to achieve the fight against corruption.

 

Mr, Eyesan Okorodudu, the Head of Democracy and Good Governance, ECOWAS commission said this during his paper presentation on “ECOWAS protocol on anti-corruption and the Regional Network (NACIWA): What Progress?

 

Okorodudu made the presentation at the Delocalised meeting of the joint committee on political affairs, peace, security and APRM, Gender, Woman Empowerment, Social protection, Legal and Judicial Affairs held at Burkina Faso.

 

The Presentation which was titled “status of implementation of ECOWAS Protocol A/P3/12/01 on the Fight Against Corruption: ECOWAS Parliament’s contribution thereto” set to give an overview on the implementation of the protocol which was adopted in Dakar in year 2001.

 

He said preventive measures are the best form of protection and the Article 5 of the anti-corruption A/P3/12/01 has just addressed that.

 

According to him, the ECOWAS wants the parliamentarians to understand that protecting the whistleblower is key to fighting corruption and that should come in a form of law to make it sustainable.

 

In his statement, he said “In one of the member states the whistle blower policy did not see the light of day in the parliament and you have to get an executive order.

 

He added, with the executive order, there are some limitations it can work, that is why the law is required to be enacted to guarantee the safety of the whistle blower.

 

With that, the whistle blower can benefit from their civil responsibilities which the law will guarantee for them.

 

Out of the 15 member countries of NACIWA adopted the strategy of protection tool that ECOWAS has provided while acknowledging it is a cost-intensive to set up a whistle blower policy however urged them to ensure it is being done.

 

“A percentage is meant to be given to the whistle blower, but the danger involved in protecting the whistle blower, the strategy involved, once you blow the whistle corruption fight back.

 

“And if it fights back, there are certain mechanism that needs to be put in place, one of them will be relocating the entire family of that individual.

 

Subsequently, he urges the government to give Anti-corruption a free hand to prosecute corruption matter.

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