Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open
\nletter to the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu urging him to use
\nhis \u201cgood offices and leadership position to ensure the immediate,
\nunconditional and full reinstatement of all the eight members of staff of
\nthe Yaba College of Technology, Lagos (YABATECH) who were sacked as a
\nresult of their whistle-blowing activities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organization wants Malam Adamu to \u201cprevail on the Polytechnic Council
\nto reinstate the whistle-blowers back to their respective assignments in
\nthe Polytechnic with all their entitlements paid and their promotions
\neffected as their victimisation is against the spirit of Nigeria\u2019s
\ninternational human rights and anticorruption obligations and commitments,
\nincluding the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state
\nparty.\u201d<\/p>\n
The names of the dismissed whistle-blowers are: Mr. Olugbenga Ibirogba;
\nMr. Charles Akharayi; Mr. Ayinde Bamide; Mr. Olusola Dada; Mrs. Gbemisola
\nDada; Mrs. Temilola Akinwunmi; Mrs. Mopelola Ibitomi; and Mr. Adedeji
\nBasiru.<\/p>\n
The organization in a letter sent last Friday and signed by SERAP
\nexecutive director Adetokunbo Mumuni also called for the \u201cimmediate
\nrelease and full implementation of the report of the 2015 Investigative
\nPanel headed by Professor Idowu Awopetu that probed several petitions and
\nallegations of corruption in YABATECH. The panel has since submitted its
\nreport, findings and recommendations to the Federal Government.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter reads in part: \u201cSERAP has been fully briefed by the dismissed
\nstaff of YABATECH who were sacked whistle-blowers because of their public
\ninterest disclosures on alleged corruption and unlawful enrichment of the
\nRector of the Institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAllegations of corruption, unlawful enrichment and the misuse of power or
\nany position of authority by Polytechnic personnel for personal gain
\nthreaten and harm the public interest. SERAP is seriously concerned about
\nthe alleged systemic and widespread nature of the crimes in an educational
\ninstitution which is supposed to be bedrock of learning and good culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seriously concerned that the dismissed staff members have not been
\nappropriately treated or protected by the Polytechnic authorities or
\nCouncil to remedy the exposed threats or harm to them. No whistle-blower
\nshould ever be penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.
\nSERAP strongly believes that every individual should feel safe to freely
\nraise public interest concerns, just as the above-mentioned staff members
\nhave done in disclosing information on alleged corruption, fraud and
\nunlawful enrichment in the Polytechnic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless the authorities or Polytechnic council grant these staff members
\nthe appropriate protection deserving of whistle-blowers, encourage them to
\ndisclose corruption in the educational system and promptly act on those
\nallegations, a significant opportunity to protect the institution and
\npublic interest would be missed thereby doing a disservice to their
\ncalling and appointment as Polytechnic council members.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP believes that retaliation or victimisation of whistle-blowers
\nshould not under any circumstances or anywhere be tolerated, especially
\nunder the watch of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, which
\nhas been at the forefront of the anti-corruption crusade.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEncouraging whistle-blowers to speak up improves public services and
\nstrengthens public accountability. By terminating the appointment of these
\nstaff members, SERAP believes that the authorities of YABATECH has acted
\nimproperly or attempted to cover up the alleged corruption and fraud
\nrather than promptly addressing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP also believes that the information being disclosed by these
\nwhistleblowers can contribute to strengthening transparency and
\naccountability in the Institution in particular and the country as a
\nwhole. The termination of the appointment of these staff members amounts
\nto retaliation. Their status as a whistle-blower is not diminished even if
\nthe perceived threat to the public interest has not materialised, since
\nthey would seem to have reasonable grounds to believe in the accuracy of
\nthe disclosures on alleged corruption and fraud in the Institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP argues that whistleblowing is very important in deterring and
\npreventing corruption, and in strengthening democratic accountability and
\ntransparency in the country in general. Whistleblowing is indeed a
\nfundamental aspect of freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and
\nis important in tackling gross mismanagement of our commonwealth.
\nWhistleblowing can act as an early warning to prevent damage as well as
\ndetect wrongdoing that may otherwise remain hidden.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFurther, whistleblowing can help ensure the effective compliance with
\nNigeria\u2019s international anticorruption obligations and commitments by
\nallowing those legally responsible for the alleged misconduct the
\nopportunity to address the problem and to account for themselves, and by
\nmore readily identifying those who may be liable for any damage caused.\u201d
\n25,000 women to benefit from Sokoto’s N250m loan<\/p>\n
Sokoto Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said the state government will
\nprovide soft loans worth N250 million to 25, 000 women across the state.<\/p>\n
Tambuwal spoke in Yabo LGA when he presented cheques to 120 women as part
\nof constituency empowerment programme of the Majority Leader of the state
\nHouse of Assembly, Hon Bello Garba Yabo.<\/p>\n
He said already, a comprehensive list of the beneficiaries, with the mode
\nof business they are engaged in, has been compiled by the Sokoto State
\nSmall and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SOSMDA).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe intend to reach as many people as possible in all the nooks and
\ncrannies of the state. But for a start, we have identified 25,000 women
\nwho will get a minimum of N10,000 and the disbursement will commence at
\nthe shortest possible time.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it is loan, we will task all you to repay it at a time to be
\nagreed by all parties,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Tambuwal said similar gesture will be extended to farmers, youth groups
\nand other members of the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope to enhance the capital base of our beneficiaries and for the
\nwomen, we want them to become more self-reliant, while at the same time
\nproviding them with opportunity to contribute their quotas to the economic
\ngrowth of the state,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
In an interview with journalists after the event, the Governor said he
\nbelieves creating job opportunities, especially through construction, and
\ninjection of more money into the economy remains a sure way out of the
\ncurrent recession in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201dAsk any Economist about the way out of recession, and I am sure they will
\ninform you that massive construction efforts, backed by release of funds,
\nwill create jobs whose multiplier effects will jumpstart the economic
\nbarometer,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu urging him to use his \u201cgood offices and leadership position to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n