Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open
letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Geoffrey Onyeama requesting
him to use his “leadership position to ensure and facilitate the immediate
and unconditional reinstatement of whistle-blower Ntia Thompson sacked
through a post on the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa’s
notice Board for exposing an alleged $229,000 fraud in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.”
The organization urged Mr Onyeama to “act swiftly to comply with the
whistle-blowing policy of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari,
and international standards, which guarantee full protection and
restitution for any whistle-blower against harassment, intimidation,
victimisation or any form of retaliation.”
SERAP in the letter dated 10 March 2017 and signed by its deputy director
Timothy Adewale said that, “By sacking Mr Thompson, your ministry would
seem to shield information on the alleged fraud that the public has a
right to know. Therefore, should you fail and/or neglect to act as
requested within seven days after the receipt and/or publication of this
letter, SERAP will be compelled to pursue appropriate legal action against
your ministry to challenge the unfair treatment and victimisation of Mr
Thompson.”
The letter copied to Mr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB, reads in
part: “We also urge you to act swiftly to identify those involved in the
alleged fraud and hand them over to appropriate anti-corruption agencies
for further investigation and prosecution, as well as recover any stolen
public funds. Impunity for reprisals against Mr Thompson would send a
message to all potential whistle-blowers that your ministry lacks the
commitment to their protection.”
“SERAP is seriously concerned that Mr Thompson’s unfair treatment by the
leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs simply for disclosing
alleged fraud in the ministry is a fundamental violation of his right to
freedom of expression, and breach of President Buhari’s whistle-blowing
policy, which seeks to protect individuals who make access to such
allegations possible.”
“SERAP also believes that the allegations of fraud disclosed by Mr
Thompson should never be supressed or withheld as a matter of public
interest, transparency and respect for the rule of law. Harassing,
intimidating and punishing whistle-blowers creates disincentives for
public disclosure of allegations of fraud and corruption and damages an
important tool of transparency and accountability.”
“SERAP believes that protecting whistle-blowers encourages accountability,
increases the costs for those who might engage in fraud and corruption,
and advances the public’s right to know. The alleged fraud involving
officials of the DTCA should not be kept hidden from public view,
especially given the government’s whistle-blowing policy and the fact that
Nigerians are entitled to a right to information of all kinds.”
“Mr Thompson’s public interest and whistle-blowing activity has made him
vulnerable to attack, hostility, punishment, and other forms of
retaliation. SERAP argues that Mr Thompson, like any other
whistle-blowers, is entitled to the right to impart information, and ought
to be offered adequate legal protection because Nigerians have the right
to receive information such as on the allegations of fraud involving
senior officials of your ministry.”
“The right to receive information advances several principles that
underlie human rights, encourage participation in public affairs, and
advance the ability of individuals such as Mr Thompson to seek out
information of all kinds. Nigerians should enjoy access not only to
information about the policies and practices of the government, but also
to information about whistle-blowing.”
“SERAP therefore urges you to use your leadership position to promote and
ensure within your ministry a culture that values transparency,
accountability, and public participation and protection of whistle-blowers
by facilitating the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of Mr
Thompson back to his position as assistant director with the DTCA.”
“SERAP urges you to encourage rather punish the practice of
whistle-blowing by establishing within your ministry effective and
protective channels for whistle-blowers to motivate remedial action, and
effective redress and protection against retaliation. Without protection
against retaliation and the possibility of redress, few would disclose
allegations of fraud and corruption.”
“SERAP notes that article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights guarantees the right to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas regardless of frontiers. The African Charter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights enshrines the same right in its article 9, which
emphasizes that the freedom applies to information and ideas of all kinds.
Similarly, the United Nations Convention against Corruption which Nigeria
has ratified protects persons who report corruption offences.”
“SERAP has been fully briefed by Ntia Thompson and we are in possession of
documents including Mr Thompson’s petition to the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC on allegations of fraud and corruption involving
some top officials of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa,
DTCA.”
“Mr. Ntia, an assistant director with the DTCA in charge of the SERVICOM
Unit, was sacked on 7 February 2017 following his petition to the EFCC
that $229,000 and N800, 000 were allegedly diverted by top officials of
the DTCA. Although the money was withdrawn from the Nigerian Technical
Cooperation Fund, NTCF, there was no evidence it was used for the purpose
it was meant.”
“The NTCF is a trust fund domiciled with the African Development Bank,
AfDB, but jointly managed by the bank and the agency on behalf of the
Federal Government. According to our information, officials of the DTCA
withdrew the money for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the
NTCF, for which $36,852.00 was allocated. The amount was also meant for
the monitoring of various projects executed from the Trust Fund across
Africa. N800, 000.00 was allegedly spent for SERVICOM “sensitization
seminar” in the Directorate, which the EFCC has asked the officials
involved to return.”