A former minister of finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has attributed the shortcomings of the whistleblower policy during her tenure to a lack of statutory support.
The federal government introduced the whistleblower policy in December 2016 as a measure to combat corruption.
Adeosun, who served as finance minister from 2015 to 2018, highlighted the significance of the policy while delivering a keynote address at the second edition of the Citadel School of Government (CSG) Dialogue series held in Lagos. The CSG was founded by Pastor Tunde Bakare.
Speaking on the theme, “The Rough Road to Reforms: The Risks, the Resistance, The Reprisals and the Resilient Leader,” Adeosun noted that the whistleblower policy, initiated under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was among the successful initiatives. She stressed that any government policy without a legal foundation is vulnerable to being abandoned.
“Government policies with legal backing become difficult to change by subsequent administrations that do not like them,” she remarked.
“Leaders, who are reformers often face institutional resistance and must find ways to overcome such obstacles,” she added.
She further stated that a leader committed to reform must be both empathetic and capable of bringing people along.
The former minister observed that corruption is a global issue, not exclusive to Nigeria.
“Nigeria only needs building of strong institutions to correct human behaviour to stamp out corruption,” she asserted.
Pastor Bakare, who is the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), commended Adeosun for her continued contributions to Nigeria, acknowledging the challenges she overcame. He referred to the former minister as a "daughter of God, who made us proud."
“If Adeosun had not won her case, the stigma would have trailed her.
“It is highly commendable that she came out as minister, and no houses or stolen funds were traced to her,” he said.
Bakare concluded that the discussion topic was crucial for preparing current and aspiring leaders in government to be resilient and carefully consider the reforms they intend to implement.
“Reforms may not usher in an immediate change, but there is always a need to remain focused and not chase shadows,” he advised.
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