CSO Urges Delta Assembly To Enact Whistleblower Law For Stronger Transparency & Accountability
THE Global Peace Development (GPD), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has called on the Delta State Government to ensure that its whistleblowing policy is passed into law through the State House of Assembly to deepen transparency, accountability, and protection for citizens who expose corruption.
The appeal was made by the Executive Director of GPD, Ebruke Esike, on Saturday in Asaba during a One-Day Training for Media Practitioners and Social Media Influencers on the Whistleblower Protection Bill 2024. The event, themed “Citizen Engagement and Capacity Strengthening for Reinforced Governance and Social Accountability”, was supported by the Nigeria Civil Society Situationroom and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (UK Aid).
A Call for Legislative Backing
Esike commended the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for its efforts in instituting a whistleblowing policy and releasing a phone line for public reports. However, he stressed that without legislation, the initiative lacked the strength and credibility needed to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
“Delta State has received enormous allocations from the Federation Account since January 2025. These receipts, if properly monitored, can transform the entire state. But many citizens are afraid to speak out about corruption or poorly executed projects because there is no legal framework to protect them from harm,” Esike said.
He emphasized that enacting the Whistleblower Protection Bill would not only safeguard individuals who report corruption but also punish those who provide false information. According to him, the law should include provisions for protecting whistleblowers’ identities and offering rewards for accurate reports, thereby encouraging citizens to take ownership of safeguarding state resources.
“With a strong reward system and guaranteed protection, every citizen becomes a whistleblower and watchman over government projects and funds,” he added.
Role of the Media and Civil Society
Esike urged both traditional media practitioners and social media influencers to use their platforms to push for the bill’s passage, stating that public pressure is key to ensuring the law reaches the floor of the Delta State House of Assembly.
He explained that the bill had already been drafted and transmitted to the Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in February 2024, but it had yet to be presented for legislative consideration.
“The governor has shown he is listening by setting up the whistleblowing policy and opening reporting lines. But this is not enough. For true accountability, the Whistleblower Protection Bill must complement the Public Finance Management (PFM) Law 2022, which Governor Oborevwori himself passed during his tenure as Speaker of the House,” Esike said.
He noted that while the PFM Law provides a framework for financial accountability, its implementation remains hindered without the whistleblowing law, which serves as a mechanism for citizens to monitor compliance.
Broad Support for the Bill
In his remarks, Mr. Churchill Oyowe, Chairman of the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), assured that the media would play an active role in sensitizing the public and advocating for the bill’s passage.
Oyowe described the training as eye-opening and pledged to support awareness campaigns through traditional media, social media, and community engagement. He highlighted strategies such as content creation, storytelling, hashtag campaigns, and grassroots sensitization in churches, mosques, and town hall meetings as effective tools to build public support.
“By engaging multiple platforms and communities, we can ensure that the benefits of the whistleblowing law are understood by all, and that citizens take full ownership of the process of safeguarding our collective resources,” Oyowe said.
A Tool for Development and Accountability
Esike concluded by stressing that legislating the whistleblower policy is not just about fighting corruption but about ensuring development in Delta State matches the volume of resources accruing to it.
“Whistleblowing has far-reaching implications for accountability, stewardship, and development. It secures society by empowering every citizen to take responsibility for protecting government property, projects, and funds. This is why we are calling on the State Assembly to act urgently, with the backing of civil society and international partners,” he said.
The seminar ended with a consensus that the protection of whistleblowers through legislation is vital to strengthening governance, reinforcing transparency, and building citizens’ trust in the state’s democratic processes.
